"In brief"
Multimodal transport combines road, rail, sea, inland waterway and air to optimise costs, lead times and the carbon footprint of supply chains.
Moving goods more efficiently, at lower cost and with a controlled carbon footprint is one of the major challenges facing supply chains today. All the more so given that, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), CO₂ emissions from the transport sector rose between 1990 and 2022 more than those of any other end-use sector, with the exception of industry. Faced with these sometimes difficult requirements, companies are looking to better organise their flows by combining transport modes according to their respective strengths. Among these approaches, multimodal transport is attracting growing interest.
Multimodal transport: key points
Multimodal transport involves moving goods from point A to point B using at least two different transport modes in succession : road, rail, maritime, inland waterway or air, with the aim of optimising costs, lead times and emissions. In its most structured form, the entire journey is coordinated by a single operator, often called a Multimodal Transport Operator (MTO), who manages the end-to-end chain.
This approach differs from unimodal transport, which relies on a single mode. It is also often confused with intermodal transport, although the two concepts are not entirely equivalent. Multimodal transport refers primarily to the use of several modes within a single logistics chain. Intermodality, on the other hand, generally implies that the goods remain in the same loading unit, a container, swap body or semi-trailer, during mode changes. In other words, it is the loading unit itself that moves from truck to train or vessel, without direct handling of the cargo.
Combined transport is a specific form of intermodality. It operates on a simple principle: reserving the road for the first and last kilometres, while the main leg of the journey is handled by a higher-capacity mode such as rail, inland waterway or maritime. This distinction is not merely theoretical. It influences how operations are organised, the equipment required, responsibilities between parties, handling costs and lead times related to transshipment. For shippers, understanding these differences is key to choosing a solution adapted to the nature of the goods, available infrastructure and delivery constraints.
Why multimodal transport has become the norm ?
The rise of multimodal transport reflects the evolution of global trade. With globalisation, production sites, processing centres and consumer markets have gradually moved further apart. Combining road, rail, maritime or inland waterway transport ensures logistics continuity across increasingly international supply chains.
This evolution was largely driven by the widespread adoption of the container from the 1960s onwards. Thanks to the standardisation of loading units, goods can be transferred from a truck to a train and then to a vessel without being unloaded at each stage. This innovation reduced handling times, logistics costs and the risk of damage or theft, while enabling the development of integrated supply chains on a global scale.
Economic and environmental imperatives have since added further pressure. New non-financial reporting requirements such as the European CSRD directive require large
companies to measure and disclose greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout their value chain, including those related to the transport of goods. As early as 2016, the African Union called, in its White Paper on Transport, for the promotion of multimodal transport development to build a more sustainable transport system. These developments are pushing shippers to rethink the organisation of their flows and, where relevant, to favour combinations that reduce the share of road transport in favour of rail, maritime or inland waterway.
The modes involved and their roles
Multimodal transport is based on a simple principle: each mode is deployed where it performs best.
Maritime transport
Maritime transport is the backbone of international trade, carrying more than 80% of global merchandise trade by volume, according to UNCTAD. It enables large volumes to be moved over long distances at a very competitive unit cost, but at the expense of longer lead times. While the sector accounted for around 2.9% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 according to the International Maritime Organization, it remains one of the least carbon-intensive modes when emissions are measured per tonne-kilometre.
Rail transport
Rail transport is particularly suited to heavy goods, large volumes and regular flows. It enables shipments to be massified, improves delivery predictability and reduces the carbon footprint compared to road. According to the IEA, rail accounted for only around 1% of transport-related global emissions in 2022, while carrying 6% of traffic in tonne-kilometres. Its development remains conditional on the availability, quality and interconnection of rail infrastructure.
Inland waterway transport
Inland waterway transport, often underused, is an interesting option for bulk solids and liquids or goods that can be carried by barge. It offers significant capacity, low energy consumption and a limited carbon footprint. Its main constraint lies in its dependence on navigable waterways, their maintenance and the availability of suitable port infrastructure. Where these conditions are met, it can contribute to reducing transport costs on certain corridors.
Road transport
Road transport remains an indispensable link in multimodal chains. Its strength lies in its flexibility and its capacity to handle pre-carriage, on-carriage and the last kilometres between logistics platforms, terminals and end customers. It remains the dominant mode in many African countries, but is also more exposed to fuel price fluctuations, road conditions, congestion and CO₂ emissions. According to estimates from multiple sources, road transport accounts for close to three-quarters of the transport sector’s emissions.
Air transport
Air transport responds primarily to speed requirements. It is used for urgent, perishable, sensitive or high-value goods such as pharmaceutical products, critical spare parts or electronic components. Its advantage is its ability to sharply reduce lead times, sometimes to a few days, but this speed comes with high logistics costs and a high carbon intensity. In a multimodal chain, air transport should therefore remain reserved for situations where time constraints outweigh other criteria.
The role of the container and the loading unit
At the heart of multimodal transport, the container is the standard unit that makes it easier to connect different transport modes. Its advantage lies in the fact that it limits direct handling of the goods during mode changes. It is the loading unit itself that is transferred from truck to train, from train to vessel, or from port to logistics platform.
This logic reduces handling times, limits operational costs and minimises the risk of damage, loss or theft. It also plays an important security role: a container sealed at origin can be transported to its destination without intermediate opening, except for specific checks.
This system relies on the international standardisation of containers defined by the International Organisation for Standardisation. ISO standards govern dimensions, load-bearing capacity and technical specifications to ensure compatibility with port, rail and road equipment. Containerisation also strengthens traceability: sealing, GPS or RFID tracking systems and digital platforms make it possible to locate goods, track their progress, anticipate delays and secure information shared with shippers, freight forwarders and transport agents.
How to optimise multimodal transport
Optimising multimodal transport starts with balancing several often conflicting criteria. Shippers and supply chain managers must consider distance, the nature of the goods, urgency, the logistics budget, CO₂ constraints and the availability of transport infrastructure.
In this context, there is no universally optimal combination. Goods that are not time-sensitive may favour a maritime solution complemented by road or rail delivery. Conversely, perishable products or critical components may justify incorporating air transport on part of the journey.
The most common combinations generally pair a high-capacity mode over the longest distance with a more flexible mode for the first or last kilometres. This approach also requires close coordination between the various chain actors: shipowners, rail operators, road carriers, freight forwarders, transport agents and logistics platform managers.
Multimodal transport in Africa: challenges and opportunities
Multimodal transport in Africa operates in a specific context, marked by unevenly developed logistics corridors, heavy dependence on road transport and limited integration between modes. In 2023, the African Development Bank estimated that road networks alone accounted for 80% of freight transport and 90% of passenger transport on the continent.
In several regions, the connection between ports and hinterlands remains a challenge. Port congestion, variable road quality, border delays and insufficient interconnection between ports, logistics platforms and rail networks can push up transport costs. The other major constraint is the relative weakness of rail and intermodal infrastructure: in many African corridors, rail remains underused, ageing or insufficiently connected to ports and inland platforms.
This is precisely what explains the growing interest in multimodal corridors linking ports to inland markets. The Ivory Coast–Burkina Faso axis, connections between the port of Lomé and the sub-regional hinterlands, or corridors serving Sahelian countries all illustrate this logic. This dynamic aligns with the ambitions of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which makes the development of more efficient, better integrated and less administratively fragmented logistics chains even more necessary.
The role of multimodal terminals and platforms
Multimodal terminals are not simply transit points. They structure the actual performance of logistics chains by ensuring continuity between different transport modes. Dry ports, inland hubs, rail-road terminals and port platforms transfer goods from truck to train, from vessel to truck, or from a maritime corridor to an inland distribution network.
In Africa, this function is particularly visible with the development of dry ports, designed as inland extensions of seaports. They bring certain logistics and customs operations closer to consumption or production zones, while helping to decongest port terminals. For landlocked countries, these platforms play an essential role in maintaining continuity between the port, inland corridors and final delivery.
This is why the digitalisation of logistics platforms is becoming increasingly important. Container tracking, electronic pre-clearance, digital document management and information sharing between shipowners, freight forwarders, carriers and terminal operators all help to reduce dwell times and hidden costs.
Conclusion
Multimodal transport is establishing itself as a key optimisation lever for shippers seeking to better control their costs, lead times and carbon footprint. In Africa, where corridors remain unevenly developed and ports play a central role in accessing hinterlands, this approach requires close coordination between modes, infrastructure and chain actors.
This is precisely the logic behind Africa Global Logistics’ approach. Present in 47 African countries, the group supports shippers in structuring multimodal solutions adapted to the realities of the continent, combining maritime, rail and road transport with logistics platforms and transit operations. Corridors such as the Abidjan–Bobo-Dioulasso–Bamako axis or flows from the port of Lomé to sub-regional hinterlands illustrate this positioning in service of a more fluid, safer and better-managed African logistics.