A Methodology to Evaluate Potential Locations for Intermodal Barge Terminals: A Policy Decision Support Tool

Intermodal transport is the transport of unit loads by the combination of at least two modes of transport in a single transport chain. Goods are transported with most of the route travelled by rail, an inland waterway system or via an oceangoing vessel, with the shortest possible initial and final journeys by road. Due to environmental and congestion pressures this type of transport has received much attention over the last few years. Intermodal terminals, necessary for the transhipment of unit loads from one mode to another, are very important in this transport chain. In recent years, several new terminal projects have started up in Belgium (see Macharis and Verbeke 1999).