May 31, 2019

Intermodal-friendly sites combine a strategic location with well-designed physical spaces.

Intermodal volumes grew by 5.6% in the United States in 2018, the most robust increase in the field in the past five years, according to the Intermodal Association of North America. In the face of tight truck capacity, the appeal of intermodal continues to grow for many shippers.

An organization can’t just jump into intermodal, however. It needs access to a facility that can support an intermodal operation and its unique needs. As a result, real estate developers are physically enhancing facilities to accommodate shippers with intermodal aspirations, notes Ken Stratton, vice president of operations for intermodal marketing company Interdom LLC, a subsidiary of Odyssey Logistics & Technology Corporation.

“Expansion projects are starting to include additions that can better serve the intermodal market,” Stratton says. The country’s infrastructure is capable of handling the current intermodal volume but continued investment is needed.

“We see constant changes and upgrades throughout the country in different areas that serve the intermodal market, such as ocean terminal expansion or inland logistics centers,” Stratton says. “Improvements in the intermodal infrastructure will benefit both shippers and logistics providers—it’s a win-win.”

A combination of factors can make a site appealing to intermodal-minded shippers.

Read the full article published by Inbound Logistics