Introduction  

On completion of this practical course you should be able to: 

• Define the specific concepts, tools and techniques required by smooth international cargo trade/movement.
• Discuss general management and business concepts for freight transport.
• Examine the role of the Channel Tunnel in the development of long-haul combined transport operations between the UK and Europe
• Justify the use of, a number of different transport modes, such as road, rail or inland waterway or either short- or deep-sea shipping.
• Determine the means of delivering goods using two or more transport modes, recounting both European experience and UK developments
• Reporting on the extensive political influences on the forms of transport

Course Outline

What Is Intermodal Freight Transport?

• The background to intermodalism
• The impact of the Channel Tunnel
• Freight transport growth
• Definitions
• Why intermodalism now?
• The potential market for intermodal transport
• The future for intermodal freighting

UK and EU Policies for Intermodal Transport

• UK Government policy
• Intermodal policy in the EU
• Chronology of reports and legislation

 Intermodal Developments in the UK

• Euro-trade and the Channel Tunnel
• The rail scene
• Tall and long boxes: the new container revolution
• Government grant aid
• Commercial developments
• Combined transport vehicles
• Working time and fuel prices

Intermodal Transport in Europe

• Euro-enlargement
• IRU/UIC position statement on combined transport
• Research and further action
• The EU’s Intermodality Task Force
• Rail interoperability
• Inland waterways
• Current activities: an overview
• Financial support
• Operational developments
• The way forward

Intermodalism in North America and World Markets

• North America
• Canada
• The Baltic States
• Asia
• The Middle East
• Australia

The Road Haulage Role in Intermodalism

• Lorry sizes and weights for intermodal operations
• Operator licensing, community authorizations and professional competence
• Exhaust emissions, noise limits, and energy consumption
• Limits on driver working times
• Safety law for carrying containers and working in docks
• Safety in docks
• Lorry Road User Charging: LRUC
• Road traffic accidents
• Road haulage operations

 Rail-Freight Operations

• Britain’s privatized railway
• Rail operations in Europe
• European Railway Agency
• The Euro-wide railway: Railion
• UK rail-freight strategy
• Rail freight in decline
• The loading-gauge issue
• Piggyback operation
• Rolling highways
• The Central Railway project
• Channel Tunnel Rail Link
• Eurotunnel
• Freight aggregators and integrators
• Locomotive power

Inland Waterway, Short-Sea, and Coastal Shipping

• Waterway statistics
• Inland waterways
• UK inland waterways
• Inland waterways in Europe
• Short-sea and coastal shipping
• Container shipping

 Environmental and Economic Issues

• An environmental solution
• Freight by road, rail, or waterway?
• The EC’s view
• The environmental impact of transport
• ‘Something must be done’
• Vehicle exhaust emissions
• Environment reports
• The economic issue

Grant Aid and Government Support

• UK Government grants
• EC grants

Intermodal Networks and Freight Interchanges

• The TEN-Ts
• Trans-European Rail Freight Freeways
• Motorways of the Sea
• Infrastructure developments in retrospect
• Freight interchanges (terminals)
• The EC’s 2004 list of 30 TEN-T projects

Intermodal Road and Rail Vehicles and Maritime Vessels

• Road vehicles
• Bimodal semi-trailer systems
• Rail wagons
• Maritime vessels

Intermodal Loading Units, Transfer Equipment and Satellite Communications

• Swap bodies
• Freight containers
• Lifting equipment
• Other handling equipment
• Satellite tracking of vehicles and loading units

Carrier Liability in Intermodal Transport

• International agreements
• Liability in domestic road and rail operations
• International carriage of goods by road: CMR
• International carriage of goods by rail: CIM
• Compensation for loss
• Liability rules for multimodal transport
• GIT insurance protection

Intermodal Documentation and Authorizations

• CMR consignment notes for international haulage journeys
• Consignment notes for own-account carriage by road
• CIM consignment notes for international rail journeys
• Combined/multimodal transport documents
• Legal requirements for international road haulage journeys
• Community authorization
• Road haulage cabotage
• Bilateral road haulage permits
• Eco-points for transit of Austria
• Permit checks
• Own-account transport operations
• Other documents

Customs Procedures

• Community Transit
• Transport International Routier (TIR)
• ATA Carnets
• Carnets de Passage

International Carriage of Dangerous Goods

• Dangerous goods legislation
• The international carriage of dangerous goods by rail: RID
• The carriage of dangerous goods through the Channel Tunnel (IGC)

Safety in Transport

• Safety in road freighting
• Rail safety
• Freight container safety regulations
• International standards for swap bodies
• Maritime safety
• Duty of care