Multimodal transport
Multimodal transport is delivery by several modes of transport under a single contract and with a single operator responsible.
What is multimodal transport?
Multimodal transport means delivering goods by several modes of transport (for example sea + rail + road) under a single contract, with one operator responsible for the whole journey.
It is convenient on long routes such as China → Russia: one partner is responsible for the whole route, and nobody has to coordinate separate carriers. For you as a supplier it means a single point of contact from collection at your premises to delivery to your customer.
How it works in practice
Almost every shipment we handle from Asia is multimodal: sea to Vladivostok or Novorossiysk, then rail or road to the customer’s warehouse. From Europe: road to the consolidation warehouse, sea from Rotterdam, then a truck from the port of arrival.
The customer signs one contract and receives one invoice; we organise the connections between modes, the transhipment and the documents on each leg. That way transit time and responsibility are controlled in one place rather than split between three contractors.
Multimodal transport: frequently asked questions
How does multimodal transport differ from intermodal?
In intermodal transport the goods stay in one unit (a container) with no handling of the goods themselves; in multimodal transport they may be transhipped between modes. In practice the terms are often used interchangeably; what matters is that one operator is responsible for the whole chain.
Who is liable if the goods are damaged at a transfer point?
The multimodal operator, under a single freight forwarding contract. It does not matter on which leg the incident happened: the operator compensates the customer and then settles with the actual carrier.
When is a multimodal route cheaper than direct road freight?
For heavy and bulky shipments from Europe, sea plus road is 20–35% cheaper than a through truck, though 1–2 weeks slower. For urgent shipments — road, or air plus road.
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