An inland facility connected to a seaport by rail or highway that provides port-related services such as container storage, customs processing, and import/export cargo handling away from the congested seaport. Inland ports extend the effective reach of seaports and relieve coastal congestion. They are a growing component of supply chain infrastructure.
A facility equipped with cranes, reach stackers, or other lifting equipment to transfer intermodal containers and trailers between railcars and trucks. Intermodal terminals are the interface between the rail and trucking networks and are located in major metropolitan areas and port cities. Throughput capacity and truck gate efficiency are critical performance metrics.
A facility where freight is transferred between railcars and trucks or other modes, enabling rail service to shippers without direct rail access. Transload facilities may handle bulk commodities, packaged goods, or intermodal containers. They serve as an economic alternative to private sidings for shippers with moderate rail volume.
An intermodal service in which ISO or domestic containers are loaded onto well cars or flatcars, often double-stacked, for the rail portion of a move. COFC is the dominant form of intermodal rail service in North America and enables double-stack efficiency. Containers are transferred between trucks and trains at intermodal terminals.
A standardized steel box (typically 20, 40, 45, 48, or 53 feet in length) that can be transferred between ships, trains, and trucks without unloading the contents. Containers conform to ISO or domestic standards and are the fundamental unit of intermodal logistics. Their standardization revolutionized global freight economics.