At Lighthouse Logistics we provide multimodal transport for any kind of freight. Operations of this kind consist of combining two or more means of transport so that the goods arrive at their destination by means of a guaranteed door-to-door service. The goods nevertheless remain inside the same unit or vehicle, generally a container.
Multimodal transport offers numerous benefits, but particularly the fact that the cargo requires no handling when changing modes of transport. This makes for a faster, safer logistics operation, not to mention savings on handling costs. It also provides savings on packaging while reducing energy consumption and emissions, meaning that it is also good for the environment.
International multimodal freight transport
The longer the distance covered, the greater the importance of multimodal freight transport. Combined transport is the best option for meeting the challenges posed by transport between territories distant from one another. Each means of transport has its advantages and limitations, and at Lighthouse Logistics we use the best of each one to optimize times and costs wherever possible.
Completing port transport with road haulage to reach a precise destination, or using a railway line for the inland transit of goods arriving to the coast from the other side of the ocean, are just some of the opportunities offered by international multimodal freight transport. Multimodal transport also offers the option of its adaptation to the type of freight at hand, guaranteeing the best results.
Types of multimodal transport
With multimodal transport we guarantee that your goods remain intact while travelling from their origin to their destination and with a single transport contract and bill of lading. To illustrate how multimodal transport functions, let’s look at the most frequent combinations:
Multimodal maritime and road transport
One of the most frequent multimodal transport combinations is loading freight from a ship onto a truck. Here we refer to probably the most widely used transport service given that when freight arrives at a port another vehicle is almost always necessary to take it to its precise delivery point.
Multimodal rail and road transport
Although we work in areas with excellent rail networks, we have to admit that it’s impossible to reach the same places by train as we can by road. The best idea is therefore to make use of the train’s speed to arrive as close as possible to the destination, from where a truck will complete the door-to-door transport of your goods.
Container types for multimodal transport
If there’s anything multimodal transport needs it’s a certain degree of uniformity to guarantee that the transition between means of transport goes as fast and smoothly as possible. This is where specific containers come into play, meaning that your cargo can be shipped by two or more means of transport with no need for handling along the way.
- Bulk carrier: This is the most typical option for transporting bulk cargo. It comes with hatches on the roof for loading, and others at the bottom for easy emptying.
- Tank container: This type of container is suitable for transporting bulk liquids, and for liquefied gas.
- Open side container: Comes with a side opening for easier access to voluminous goods such as heavy machinery, pipes, special equipment, etc.
- Open-top half-height container: Open at the top, this container has a lower height than usual. It is used to transport very heavy and voluminous goods such as minerals and semi-finished products.
- Platform: This is a platform with no roof or walls. It is used to transport oversized freight that’s too big to fit into a container and is covered with resistant tarpaulin.
Multimodal transport of dangerous goods
While consensus does exist with respect to the kinds of goods that are dangerous to transport, their associated specifications differ according to the type of transport used. That’s why, when proceeding with the multimodal transport of dangerous goods, we must make sure that we have the permits and certificates required for the load to be transported in the different vehicles involved in the operation.
At Lighthouse Logistics we take care of the necessary formalities to meet all legal requirements when transporting dangerous goods by multimodal means.