Multimodal Transport

Summary of Multimodal Transport

The movement of goods by more than one mode, or type, of transport, for example, a movement by truck to a pier, then by ship to a foreign port, and finally by rail to the customer.

(Main Author: William J. Miller)

Multimodal Transport in International Trade

Meaning of Multimodal Transport, according to the Dictionary of International Trade (Global Negotiator): Transport by more than one means. For instance, in door-to-door transport one might use ground transport for pre-carriage to the port or airport on the seller’s side, main carriage by vessel or air to the arriver point on the buyer’s side and ground transport for on-carriage. Multimodal transport occurs when a carrier provides more than on of these movements.

Multimodal Transport Conventions and International Instruments

In the context of Transport and Communications, the following is a list of multimodal tranport international instruments:

• United Nations Convention on International Multimodal Transport of Goods. Geneva, 24 May 1980
• European Agreement on Important International Combined Transport Lines and Related Installations (AGTC). Geneva, 1 February 1991 (including the  Protocol on Combined Transport on Inland Waterways to the European Agreement on Important International Combined Transport Lines and Related Installations (AGTC) of 1991. Geneva, 17 January 1997)
• Intergovernmental Agreement on Dry Ports. Bangkok, 1 May 2013