Intrsoduction

One of the top trends of the supply chain affecting the industry of transportation is multi-modal

transportation. In the course of recent years, capacity is found to be squeezed with the shortages

of driver, increased prices of fuel, expanded demand, and increased oversight of the government.

Such uncontrollable issues at hand influence everything from pricing to the timing of loads while

the answers are being sought by the executives for maintaining a supply chain that is cost

effective. Multi-modal transportation has made a provision of one solution. Whereas,

conventionally, carriers entirely sell the benefits of their modes and that this way to deal with

transportation is rapidly getting to be distinctly obsolete in the worldwide society. It's getting to

be clearer that shippers need to adopt a more coordinated strategy to keep pace with consumer

demands and economic expansion. One of the significant examples of the accomplishment of a

business segment coordinating their procedures for keeping pace within the economy is mobile

phones. During 1980s, these devices had just one purpose: to make essential calls. In any case, as

the economy quickly got boosted, essentially making a call no longer addressed business issues.

The industry associated with the technology integrated data, talk, connectivity for allowing the

communication anywhere and at any time within the world. The logistic executives in today's

world are adopting a similar strategy to address the squeezing of the capacity in accordance with

the integration of the distinctive transportation modes: sea, air, truck and rail etc. In accordance

with the economy experiencing one of its slowest expansionary periods ever, shippers are

investigating diverse methods for the integration before everything ramps back up. The best and

effective undertaking of an integration has been with multi-modal rail. In the recent years,

shippers have discovered across the nation as of late that multi-modal rail proactively addressing

the need to meet both present and future demands of business as the economy keeps on growing.
This essay will discuss the evaluation of an impact of intermodal or multimodal choice on the

sustainable supply chain strategies of the organization.

Green Supply Chain and Intermodal Transportation

The activities of logistics involve inventory management freight transport, storage and all of the

related processing information. Logistics is found to be the integrated management of the

considerable number of required activities for moving products in accordance with the supply

chain. A supply chain can be characterized as a coordinated procedure in which a few distinct

actors (manufacturers, retailers, and distributors) work together to:

1. Conversion of the raw materials into the finished products

2. Acquisition of the raw materials
3. Delivering the final products to the retailers

Information and material flows traditionally characterize this chain. For long time, the product

distribution with different transportation modes is not considered in the supply chain's

management. Despite what might be expected, it is the supply chain's external service provider

who dependably oversees it, however it doesn't bolster the performance measurement for the

controlling of costs. This particular study is mainly focused on the influence of the multi-modal

freight framework. We plan to make a proposal so as to provide a solution for lessening the

effects of such a framework, by the modelling of social and environmental costs keeping in mind

the end goal for the development of solution so as to solve this model.

Intermodal transportation is defined by the European Conference of Ministers of Transport

(ECMT) as the carriage of goods by at least two different transportation modes in the same

loading unit without stuffing or stripping operations when changing modes. Intermodal

transportation systems offer a wide choice of transportation mode and several alternative paths,
hence, the need for better coordination of flows and movements in such a system. During the last

decade, numerous publications have focused on different aspects of intermodal transport

problems, such as complementarities of the different transportation modes, changes in pricing

policies in intermodal systems, management of flows between modes and the potential

environmental impacts of such movements. Multimodal transportation is characterized by the

ECMT as the merchandise carriage by no less than two diverse modes of transportation within a

similar unit of loading without stripping or stuffing operations in accordance with the change in

modes. The frameworks of multi-modal transportation offer a significant choice of the mode of

transportation and other alternative paths and consequently, the requirement for better

coordination of movements and flows in such a framework. Amid the most recent decade,

various publications have concentrated on various parts of multi-modal transport issues, for

example, complementarities of the distinctive modes of transportation, changes in policies of

pricing for multi-modal systems, potential environmental impacts of such movement and

management of flows between modes.

Intermodalism is found to be a process of transportation in accordance with the network

interconnections, incorporating numerous mode combinations in which all of the components are

impeccably connected to frame an efficient flow for the coordination. This makes a provision of

a full scope of transport modes and various transportation alternatives, facilitating the deliveries,

stockpiling, the manufacturing and the diverse functions of distribution. The multi-modal

systems are found to be characterized by the multiple and dynamic transportation modes, that

operates all the while between them. In this framework, the crossing of the goods from one mode

of transportation to another is developed by operations called transhipment. The modes of

transportation take into consideration rail, water, air and road. Ecological issues associated with
the freight turn out to be more essential these days since it is a fact that the transport segment is

found to be a significant source of numerous air pollutants. Multi-modal fright is progressively

considered as a noteworthy contributor for dealing with the issues related to sustainability within

the transport sector.

Environmental Impacts of Intermodal Transportation

The effects of transport on the environment and health are notable today; they incorporate a

dangerous global warming, the dispersion of organic and inorganic substances incorporating

toxic ground-level ozone, the deterioration of ozone layer, the degradation of soils and

landscapes, and the scarcity of oil and other natural resources. The emanations of greenhouse

gases and gaseous pollutants as NOx, CO2, NO2 results in adverse effects of health, damage to

materials and buildings, effects on agricultural production and crops, and effects on semi natural

and natural ecosystems; this is the reason as to why the directives of European Union restrict

exhaust emanations from new vehicles. There are likewise effects on the infrastructures of

transport, for example, destruction on the constructions of road. To these effects, must be

included traffic congestion, noise pollution, energy consumption and social impacts like

accidents. The energy that is devoured by transportation is assessed to be 33% of the entire

consumed energy within the European Union. Contamination from vehicles, for example,

gaseous pollutants from the heavy trucks, for instance, Nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide,

volatile organic compounds, and particulate pollutants. A few hydrocarbons that incorporates the

emissions of volatile organic compounds from the emissions of engine are found to be

carcinogenic. Nitrogen oxides are imperceptible poisonous gas that can result in the forming of

fine salts or aerosol particles which can contribute to smog or acid rain. The fuel engines are
regularly emitted as particulate contamination. These particles are frequently found to be the

carcinogenic chemicals that are toxic, bringing on colossal harm to the lungs. Also, particulate

and ozone matter are the cause of respiratory infection, visibility problems like fog emulated by

the environmental damage. Additionally, around 20% of Europeans experience the ill effects of

issues because of transportation commotion.

As per various researches on the environmental influence due to transport, there is an

exponential increase in the trend if there is found to be no action for mitigating the impacts.

Researchers had also found three scenarios that illustrated such trend for the road freight. For the

second scenario, known as optimistic scenario, the emission of carbon dioxide from road freight

would be below the current level of 47% (10.3 million tons of CO2 in 2020), for instance by the

shift in freight away to alternative modes from road transport and by the decrease in the normal

length of haul by 15 km in respect to the present value. At last, in accordance with a pessimistic

situation, the increase in the carbon footprint of the road freight sector in 2020 to 30.0 million

tons of CO2 i.e. 56% over the present level if no action is found to be actualized to constrain the

phenomenon. The introduction of the concept of green supply chain is a route for accomplishing

this objective.

While bringing the concerns related to environment into a transportation framework changes the

supply chain configuration and this results in a change in infrastructure of logistics. Along these

lines, we should discover techniques for enhancing the performance of environment without any

need of compromising the transportation time and cost. Within the recent year, various

researches are found to be published for influence abatement within the transportation

framework. A large portion of such researches are somewhat committed to the analysis of effects
from transportation frameworks and to literature review on techniques to lessen impacts, and

mostly on the anticipated expenses of ecological effects of transport as exhibited in.

Role of Intermodal Solutions

The adjustments in late decades inside the structure of the systems of productionsuch as

worldwide sources of supply, just in time systems or fragmented production chainshave

brought about a significant rise in the needs of transportation and, thusly, in a huge increment in

the environmental influence it produces. In accordance with the increase in emanations from

transportation since 1990 now make this industry in charge of more than 25% of GHG-related

contamination, an assumption that appears to be set to further grow. In the EU-25, the

transportation on a domestic basis represents 21% of the emissions of GHG, which have

expanded by 23% since 1990. In this regard, the as of late published white paper of European

Union on the transport implies unmistakably that the transportation framework currently is not

found to be sustainable and that there should be a development of different means. In particular,

it brings up that "while more profound cuts can be accomplished in different economic sectors, a

diminishment of no less than 60% of GHGs by 2050 with respect to 1990 is required from the

transport sector, which is a huge and as yet developing source of GHGs. By 2030, the objective

for transport will be to lessen GHG emanations to around 20% underneath their 2008 level.

Given the substantial increment in transport emanations in the course of recent decades, this

would even now put them 8% over the 1990 level. Meeting such targets may be conceivable

through extraordinary endeavors on two unique fronts: to begin with, by enhancing proficiency

in every mode, in order to lessen the utilization of assets and the generation of the emanations,

and second, by animating the joined utilization of modes, i.e., multi-modal frameworks, so that

the door to door chain of transport is upgraded to make it more sustainable and efficient.
Ecological advantages are advanced as a basic contention in shielding the need to utilize multi-

modal frameworks as opposed to simply road transport. Additionally, little research has included

environmental aspects in the processes of decision making intended to enhance performance in

transportation and logistics. In accordance with the recent research, be that as it may, focuses to a

development in the demand of growth sought after from shippers for supportable transport

services. Multi-modal freight transport has developed altogether lately and is bound to assume a

critical role later. By joining the upsides of every mode, multi-modal empowers the framework to

be more productive, sustainable and cost effective. This gets to be the case notwithstanding the

fact that the decision of both the transport modes and operating carrier are choices that notably

affect ecological outcomes. Multi-modal solutions have been highlighted as one of the options of

sustainable transportation that can be offered to the clients by the logistic service providers.

Generally, the literature extensively reports lesser emission levels from sea and rail

transportation than from road transport. Aside from the rationalization of transport logistics

chain, multi-modal transportation likewise lessens the consumption of energy, empowers a more

levelheaded utilization of infrastructures, and lessens the environmental impact while getting the

benefit of the substantial capacity of rail and sea transport, while additionally profiting by the

more prominent adaptability offered by the road transport. In spite of the unequal development of

the distinctive transport modes, which has prompted to the present situation where road transport

prevails in the goods transportation, the European Commission recognizes that, for distances that

are short, no other alternative mode for transport is adequately adapted to the necessities of the

economy as road transport. It explicitly highlights, in any case, that in accordance with the

distances that are found to be longer, alternatives for the decarbonization of road are more

constrained, and multi-modality of freight has to distinctly become attractive economically for
the shippers. There is a need to have an effective co-modality. It can't be overlooked, be that as it

may, that regardless of its ultimate environmental benefits, multi-modal freight transport is found

to be quite complicated than the mode of road transport being uni-modal, as various actors are in

charge of controlling and organizing distinctive parts of the chain of transport. The inclusion of

different parties need coordination, and that the operators ought to overcome the uncertainty or

doubt they may have, and comprehend the significance of integration throughout the transport

chain. Therefore, the cooperation should be empowered among the diverse actors so that the

users can determine the solutions on a logistical basis that address their issues and are

competitive economically, and in addition get to be more sustainable. The collaboration ought to

prompt to a better performance, including the performance on an environmental basis, which

ought to thus prompt to a more prominent share of the market.

While trying to stimulate the multi-modal transportation, Motorways of the Sea are presently

viewed as the dimension of maritime within the European corridors. The idea of MoS was

introduced by the European Commission in the 2001 Transport Policy White Paper as a policy

instrument for re-balancing the utilization of the modes of transport and concentrate on the

development of transport. The European Commission shows that the Motorways of the Sea

constitute an extraordinary mode within the Short Sea Shipping and can be characterized as new

sea based or existing sea transport services that are coordinated in the logistical chains door-to-

door and focus the freight flows on regular, frequent, viable, reliable and high quality Short Sea

Shipping links. In accordance with the deployment of MoS network, it ought to absorb a

noteworthy part of the anticipated increase in the traffic of road freight, enhance the availability

of island and peripheral states and region and decrease the congestion of road. MoS are in this

manner found to be a great transport based services in light of Short Sea Shipping offering a
genuine competitive other option to land transport and the European Commission firmly bolsters

their further integration and development into the TEN-T i.e. Trans-European Network. MoS can

thusly be considered as a more constrained idea than SSS, ready to create extra value. Their

improvement/development will rely on upon their ability to offer effective way to door to door

transport that, when all is said in done terms, will indicate competitive level that can coordinate

those of the land transport chains being unimodal in nature.

Greater use of this mode of transport should lead to a reduction in the problems traditionally

associated with road transport, that is, lower energy consumption and, parallel to this, lower

pollutant emissions, in addition to reduced road congestion and increased levels of safety. Hence,

according to Valente de Oliveira, the European Unions 2020 target to reduce both GHG

emissions and energy consumption by 20% reinforces the role of MoS in European transport

policy. Since sea transport is theoretically more sustainable than transport by road, SSS and MoS

offer feasible solutions for reducing the environmental problems associated with freight

transport. Specifically, the ECs 2001 Transport Policy White Paper stated that MoS should offer

efficient, regular, reliable, and frequent services that can compete in terms of transit time and

price; and should have ports connected to the motorways and with effective hinterland

connections, rapid administrative procedures and a high level of service. In the TEN-T

guidelines, four main corridors for developing MoS projects are considered: (1) Motorways of

the Baltic Sea, connecting the Baltic countries to central and western European countries; (2)

Motorway of the sea of western Europe, from Portugal and Spain via the Atlantic arc to the

North Sea and the Irish Sea; (3) Motorways of the sea of southeast Europe (eastern

Mediterranean), connecting the Adriatic to the Ionian Sea and the eastern Mediterranean,
including Cyprus; Motorways of the sea of southwest Europe (western Mediterranean),

connecting Spain, France, Italy, Malta and linking southeast Europe to the Black Sea.

Conclusion

Intermodal transportation also provides shippers with more access to equipment and standardized

transit schedules. This translates into reliability, capacity, and safety advantages. As companies

move their freight to intermodal, they will also be able to streamline their reverse logistics.

In addition, as the U.S. government continues regulating companies for environmental impact,

shippers are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Trucks emit approximately 19.8 pounds of

carbon dioxide per 100 ton-miles. Compare this to trains, which emit 5.4 pounds of carbon

dioxide per 100 ton-miles. Until manufacturers develop a cost-effective fleet with a significantly

reduced carbon footprint, intermodal rail will continue to be the most environmentally friendly

mode of inland transport. By taking an intermodal approach, executives have solid proof that that

they are being proactive in complying with current and future government regulations

surrounding the environment.

When rethinking their logistic strategies to deal with tightening truck capacity, company

executives need to seriously look at how intermodal transportation can benefit their business. It

provides significant cost savings, increased reliability, greater capacity, and offers substantial

green and safety advantages.