Shipped Not Sunk! Top 3 Companies For Your Intermodal Transport

Did you know that the average intermodal transport ship carries over 23,000 tons? Intermodal shipping is vital for business and commerce across the globe. There is much that goes into intermodal transport that the average person might not be aware of.

Services like ocean port drayage and consolidating a shipping container with goods from multiple businesses or shippers is a common way to make the intermodal transport process efficient. But how should you go about finding the best intermodal transport company?

The good news is that you’ve come to the right place to learn about the top three intermodal transport companies that you should use for your shipping and drayage needs. Also, you can prefer Sea Containers For Sale that help to manage your shipping business.

What Is Intermodal Transport?

Intermodal transport is a way of shipping goods by using more than one method of shipping. It could be shipping by sea and then by ground. It could also be shipping by air and then by ground. It could even involve shipping via train.

What makes intermodal transport so efficient is that by loading the goods into a shipping container, it is seamless and easy to move the shipping container from a ship to a train or a truck.

There are two main types of intermodal transport. The first is international intermodal transport. International intermodal transports move goods via either 20 or 40-foot shipping containers.

As these goods travel throughout their journey, they don’t need to be moved from the shipping container. Instead, the shipping container is moved from one form of transport to another. This is essential for international shipping because it makes efficient use of ocean port drayage.

Domestic intermodal transport usually involves the user of 53-foot long shipping trailers. Even though these products are referred to as domestic intermodal, they likely arrived from overseas. With domestic intermodal transport, the products arrived in a 20 or 40-foot shipping container and are then moved to a 53-foot trailer for ground transport.

The process of shipping via intermodal ground consists of multiple steps. The first step is loading the products or goods into a container. That container is then loaded onto a truck chassis and readied for transport. From there, the container is hauled by the truck to a ramp. This process is, in essence, drayage.

When the truck reaches the ramp, the container is lifted off the truck. From there, it is placed on the car of a train, and continues its journey to the final destination. Once the container arrives at the intermodal ramp near its final destination, it is moved to another truck to finish the journey.

Benefits of Intermodal Transport

Many benefits come with intermodal transport. It is a cost-effective way of moving your goods, and it is very fuel-efficient. It is also much more sustainable when compared to the long-haul trucking industry.

The biggest benefit of investing in intermodal transport is that it provides a viable alternative to shipping by truck only. Intermodal shipping provides businesses with a way to ship their goods by ship and train. This method is not only more efficient and quick but less expensive in the long run.

It also allows businesses to reap the economic benefits of moving their goods without the capital investment in the trucks needed to do it. When you’re a business that is shipping a high volume of goods all across the country, it is important for your bottom line that you do that in the cheapest but most effective way possible.

The service provided by intermodal shipping companies is also consistent. This is good news for large retailers that need to get their goods and products to retail stores quickly to make money. Intermodal transport companies schedule their workers to be at the loading bay when the shipment is scheduled to arrive. This saves everyone money and makes the process more efficient.

In addition to being a less expensive and more consistent shipping service, intermodal transport is also the most sustainable option. Shipping by ship and train is much more efficient when it comes to fuels consumed when compared to ground transport on its own.

If you’re looking for the greenest way to ship your goods, intermodal transport is your best bet. A railroad can move one ton of freight 470 miles on one gallon of fuel.

Best Intermodal Transport Companies

Three intermodal transport companies truly stand out from the rest. Each does a large amount of business and has optimized its processes to make it a great fit for any business to work with.

J.B. Hunt

J.B. Hunt is arguably the most well-known intermodal transport company out there. Take a road trip on any main highway in the United States, and you’re bound to see at least one J.B. Hunt truck sharing the road with you. They’re located in Lowell, Arkansas, and provide several services.

Their most popular services are intermodal transport, drayage, truckload, and brokerage. They’re the most successful intermodal transport company when it comes to the total revenue made. They made over $7 billion in the year 2020.

Hub Group

Hub Group is another popular option for businesses looking to use intermodal transport. Hub Group is based in Oak Brook, Illinois, and made over $4 billion in revenue in 2020.

Hub Group’s areas of expertise include intermodal transport, drayage, brokerage, and supply chain services. They have everything you need to make sure your goods get to their destination quickly and efficiently.

XPO

XPO is the highest-earning intermodal transport company on this list. They made over $15 billion in revenue last year. They’re based in Greenwich, Connecticut, and provide several valuable services to retailers and businesses alike.

The most popular services they offer are brokerage, freighting, intermodal transport, truckload, and forwarding.

Start Using Intermodal Transport Today

Intermodal transport is an efficient and cost-effective way to ship your goods and products to wherever they’re needed in the world. It also comes with the peace of mind of knowing that it is the most sustainable and eco-friendly route for shipping large shipments of goods.

There are several great choices out there when it comes to picking the best intermodal transport company. This is especially true when you’re looking for a company that can help with ocean port drayage in addition to train or ground shipping.

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