On paper, Intermodal shipping has everything going for it, and the sky’s the limit. It’s not hard to see why. The concept of a “universal cargo container” that can be loaded onto a ship, fit just as snugly on a train, and then be transferred onto a truck seems to have no downsides at all. That kind of interoperability makes it possible for cargo to be quickly, efficiently processed and loaded onto the next vehicle without ever having to open up the container itself and move the cargo to a new container. In theory, this means everything is faster, more efficient, and easier to do.
In reality, this is all still true. But what no one counted on was the fact that everyone would realize these benefits and try to take advantage of them. Intermodal shipping has become a victim of its own success.
Unforeseen Complications
Under ideal conditions, intermodal shipping is nothing but a win for everyone. Of course, the real world rarely trades in strictly ideal conditions. Bad weather can affect cargo on ships crossing the ocean if that cargo isn’t properly protected. Delays in shipping can occur at port as too many trucks pile in, all trying to collect their own containers from the ship that’s arrived. Sometimes delays can occur in rail transport simply because railways themselves are now occasionally overwhelmed by the sheer amount of cargo they need to haul on a 19th century system that was never built to handle this amount of traffic and volume.
It’s because of these unforeseen or unpredictable complications that Intermodal shipping should be treated with the same care as less efficient more traditional forms. Just because the cargo in the container never needs to leave its shelter, doesn’t mean that more risks can be taken. In actuality, this simply means you have to “frontload” your caution, and ensure that each cargo container is carefully protected right from the start, because that protection must work in service of the cargo for the entirety of its journey.
Intermodal is more efficient, and it is faster, but it still needs the same amount of protection for its cargo as other means.
