What term describes transporting goods using multiple modes in a single container?

Intermodal transport describes transporting goods using multiple modes in a single container.

The defining feature is that the cargo itself is not unloaded when the journey changes modes. A sealed container might travel by truck from a factory, by ship across an ocean, by rail inland and by truck to its destination. Cranes and handling equipment move the container, while the goods remain inside.

This system reduces repeated loading and unloading, which can lower labor costs, cargo damage and theft. It also makes long-distance logistics easier to coordinate because standardized containers can move between compatible ships, railcars, chassis and terminal equipment.

“Multimodal transport” is a related but not identical term. It generally means a journey using at least two transport modes under one contract, while intermodal transport emphasizes the container or loading unit remaining intact across mode changes. Cross-docking is different again: it transfers goods between vehicles or staging areas with little or no storage, and does not necessarily involve a single container.