The Impact of Intermodal Transportation on the Environment

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Significance and Positive Impact of Intermodal Transport on Environment4

Impact of Transportation on the Environment6

Effect of International Trade and Modes of Transportation on the Environment9

Conclusion10

References12

The Impact of Intermodal Transportation on the Environment

Introduction

Intermodal refers to the use several modes of transportation during the same trip. It aims to reduce the use of private cars and the pollution it generates for the benefit of a combined use of less polluting modes: public transport, walking, carpooling, bicycles, roller blades, car sharing. Considered as an alternative to road freight, intermodal transport is being increasingly promoted, at present, by the European Union. Intermodality, defined as a characteristic of a transport system under which they are used in an integrated manner at least two different modes to complete a transport chain from door to door, permits, through a comprehensive approach, a more rational use of available transmission capacity. Intermodal freight transportation is a transportation of goods in containers or vehicles using various modes of transport such as rail, sea and road transport. This method allows improving transportation safety, reducing losses and loss and significantly reduces the time of shipment (Kenworthy, 2006).

The intermodal freight transport faces a number of obstacles. Normally, a change of transport mode is equivalent to a system change and not a mere technical transfer. Friction cost impact on the competitiveness of intermodal transport and result in: Longer journeys, more delays and less reliable periods, decreased availability of quality services, restrictions on the type of goods, an increased risk of cargo damage and complicated administrative procedures.

Today, transport infrastructure and its development have an enormous impact on national development. Unfortunately, it has negative and sometimes deadly effects on the environment. People building new highways, railways, major ports and airports, not realizing how much damage cause to the environment is recognized only in recent years, when the changes made by man for now indelibly etched in the landscape. The pollution of the air excluding greenhouse is mainly due to the transport, emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Despite very significant progress due to tougher standards on emissions of internal combustion engines since the early 1990s, particulate emissions are a major issue (Childress, 2005).

Significance and Positive Impact of Intermodal Transport on Environment

Globalization and the new global economy require improvements in international logistics. Freight transport is an important part of the international supply chain as part of the economic process. Companies have realized that the internal and external costs of international transport can be reduced through better use of intermodal transport. The Intermodal is one that uses a combination of two or more modes of transport. It is important during transport of the goods in intermodal mode, there is no break in the transshipment cargo from one means of transport to another, as this would adversely affect the benefits of intermodal transport (Kutz, 2008).

Intermodal transport is a system of delivery of goods in international traffic (with the use of international transport corridors) over a single ...