GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 15, 2026

Multimodal Transport

Multimodal transport comes into play as soon as a shipment travels through at least two distinct modes of carriage under a single contract – for instance, by truck from the shipper's warehouse, onward by rail, and finally by sea to the destination port.

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Last updated: 15 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://unctad.org/topic/transport-and-trade-logistics/multimodal-transport

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Definition & Explanation

Multimodal transport comes into play as soon as a shipment travels through at least two distinct modes of carriage under a single contract – for instance, by truck from the shipper's warehouse, onward by rail, and finally by sea to the destination port. A single freight forwarder or multimodal transport operator (MTO) holds the overarching contract and bears liability to the shipper for the entire journey, not just individual legs. This single-contract principle sets multimodal transport apart from intermodal transport, where the same loading units may cross several modes but each carrier operates under its own agreement. For exporters and importers, the arrangement means one point of contact for any claim, reduced coordination overhead, and typically lower total freight costs on long-haul routes. Liability and documentation are governed by various international conventions and standard bill of lading terms agreed between the parties.

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