ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the intermodal sector and pays specific attention to the role of the intermodal terminal as the point of interchange between modes. It discusses the business models used in intermodal freight transport and the economic structure of the market. The chapter talks about the key economic drivers behind successful intermodal transport. Port flows remain the dominant container market segment, as a container can be stuffed in an inland region, driven or railed to a port, shipped across the globe, then taken inland by truck, rail or barge to the final destination without the goods ever being handled. Ports are more likely to be served by regular shuttles which can be kept full due to the large loads of containers being picked up and dropped off by the ever increasing size of modern container vessels. Such shuttles have regular timings which aids planning and reliability.
