Whether Improvements in Physical or Legal Infrastructure Are Way to Facilitate Multimodal Transport - Essay Example

Physical infrastructure in multimodal transportation involves various sectors like ports, roads, railways, airports, communications, energy, water, health, education, and housing.3 Thus, its availability and quality ensure growth and development foundation.

For multimodal transportation to be actualized and tremendous improvements to be realized, appropriate infrastructure needs to be in place. Freight and passenger movement from one port to another requires an efficient and effective mode of transportation to ensure the safe and sound delivery of the commodities as well as, the passengers. Goods require a unitary container; a process called containerization and thus the commodities in transit will only require an exchange of mode of transportation. On the other hand, passengers cannot be held in a container but, measures have to be made to ensure that the change of mode of transport is efficient and effective without substantial inconveniencies.

Transportation is made efficient at places terminally specifically designed for such a purpose. Passengers seek transportation from one organization and the connecting channels made possible by the organization. The development of containerized traffic has effectively transformed the face of international transportation of goods considerably.4 The door-to-door delivery basis involving more than one mode of transportation has been made efficient. Physical infrastructure cannot be fully efficient without the incorporation of information system technology; communication in the process of freight or passenger movement is extremely vital.

Geographical information systems used in the analysis of intermodal freight networks are critical in this context. A complete GIS network was developed and used to evaluate the impacts of price, time, location, and policy on vessel routing.5 A network capable of using and analyzing containerized freight movement developed enables the integration of Sea, rail, inland waterway, and road means of transport and transfer facilities into a single, cohesive unit. This ensures that though the intermodal freight industry uses various modes, complex routing rules, and limited transfer points is a challenging application for network creation but exceedingly essential.

6 Legal infrastructure in multimodal transport involves rules and regulations that have to be followed in the entire process of commodity and passenger movement. Multimodal transportation involves the movement of cargo from one country to another and this calls for various regulations. Each mode of transport has its regulations, which may collide, in the process of transportation leading to inefficiency of transport. Examples include when the Motor Acts, rail acts, and Shipping Acts affect truck, rail, and water modes respectively.

7 Thus, integration of the different acts of transport is particularly vital in the sense that it will ease movement. Another aspect of improving legal infrastructure is the implementation of free trade agreements between various states; this enhances international trade and at the same makes transportation much faster, as legal procedures are made easier. Technical requirements placed while goods and passengers are crossing borders may cause delays due to custom evaluation and verification.