The current globalised world has seen increased interactions between and among individuals and organizations from all parts of the world. Innovation in technology has made communication and accessibility to all parts of the world faster and easier not only for business entities but also other sectors in the society. Transportation, thus, plays a critical role that ensures passengers and goods move from one point to the other in the globalised world. It results in an increased volume of trade of goods and services and the movement of persons to different parts of the world. It is the reasons the contemporary world is described as a global village. The increased interactions and movements in the world have prompted global bodies and organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and United Nations (UN) among others to help in coordination and administration of such movements in the world trade stage or international trade. It enhances relationships between businesses and Nation-States in the world in the bi and multi-lateral trade systems that exist. Intermodal transportation, therefore, has played and continues to play an essential role that ensures development and growth of global trade noted in Nation-States, regional bodies or areas as well as international boundaries that traverse borders in the air, land and sea. All sectors in the world that fall in the economic, social as well as political field have embraced a global culture that include sustainable consumption and environmental preservation as part of the corporate social responsibilities and stakeholders in the intermodal transportation system are no exemption. The world has recognized the relevance of conserving the environment and embracing sustainable movements and actions in the course of the different entities fulfilling their mission. The transport sector in the past has correctly been pointed out to be a great contributor of CO2 emission that adds significantly to environmental pollution in land, sea and air. However, this paper notes how the development of intermodal transportation has positively contributed in reducing the environmental pollution from the decisions, actions and improvements made.
Intermodal transportation is defined as the combination of two or more shipping modes, for instance, the use of the ship in the sea and rail or roads use among others to move freight from one point to the other (Leinbach & Capineri, 2017). Logistics play an essential role, and as a discipline that uses intermodal transportation, stakeholders in the business have actively played an important role. They make the decisions and actions taken that promote sustainable measures and solutions that enhance environment preservation and limiting pollutions and its harmful effects.
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Cause and Effect behind Intermodal Transportation Pollution
The use of sea transport has contributed greatly in water pollution such as witnessed in contemporary times in the oil transport sectors where leakages, for instance, contribute enormously to water pollution. Safety standards in water and sea transportation, thus, have been enhanced that ensures that goods transported in the sea are safely handled limiting possible leakages that can result in water pollution. A specific Safety body that design and verify the safety standards for the vessels that ply the water bodies has enhanced safety standards for the concerned parties. It eventually has decreased possible pollutions from leakages and related events. The companies and business organizations, hence, are fined heavily and asked to take action and responsibility in the event of such pollutions. For example, the BP Oil Company that took actions to clean the water bodies and pays hefty fines when one of their shipping vessels had a leakage that polluted the water body (Rowell, 2018). Such development in the intermodal transportation has contributed positively to reducing pollution in the sea and oceans. Accidents, for instance, of ships among other bodies used in the maritime transportation can also result in extreme pollution of the sea and the maritime life that is negatively affected by such events. Effective communication in maritime transport supported by maritime authorities has played an essential role that has designed the international waterways that ships and vessels used in the different water bodies of the world. Such communication has reduced to a great extent the potential of maritime accidents that at times results in massive loses that include loss of lives as well as the destruction of the ships and vessels used for transportation. Additionally, the aquatic and marine life, for example, is also negatively affected where flora and fauna in water bodies’ die at times threatening the existence of the wildlife in the oceans and seas among others. It is imperative to note that certain species are under the threat of being extinct that can negatively affect water tourism and explorations made by concerned parties and groups. Additionally, a large component of the species in the water bodies such as fish provide food for humanity and, thus, their extinction that might result from pollution might pose a threat as well to humanity. Improved communication in the intermodal transportation in the water bodies as a measure that reduces potential accidents has greatly contributed to the positive environment preservation by the intermodal transportation operators. The emissions of CO2 gas in the intermodal transportation occur mostly through road and rail transport. Freight trucks that transport goods from one end to the other in some instances cover longer distance resulting in more pollution from incomplete combustion. It also delays in the time taken to deliver the goods transported. Governments, intermodal transportation business operators and other concerned stakeholders have, as a result, developed policies. They give guidance and direction on the mode of transport used in certain areas that would not only reduce environment pollution but also make economic sense to the public and the government as well (Konings, Priemus & Nijkamp, 2008). For instance, the use of rail transport is encouraged when the goods transported are bulky because of the economic sense and the ability of the cargo trains to fetch freight and goods worth tones with less pollution. For a longer distance and bulky goods, the use of rail transport services is preferred that reduces the pollution involved as well as making economic sense. Such policies, therefore, have directly and indirectly contributed to the reduced pollution in the intermodal transportation and improved the business environment as well. The safety standards in the use of roads and rails transport is also not compromised, and the concerned stakeholders responsible for public safety in the different societies have the duty and mandate that enhances safety aspects in the road and rail transport that target to reduce pollution to the environment. They encourage the use of indicators that show hazards, for instance, for tracks carrying fuel or gasoline among others. Such indicators provide a warning to other road and rail users enhanced in safety standards that directly and indirectly reduces pollution that might occur when accidents do happen. Additionally, through such policies formulation by the government and stakeholders in the intermodal transportation sector, it has come up with concepts and ideas such as dry ports that are built many kilometers from the port in the mainland. The dry port is an inland intermodal terminal that connects directly connects the seaport and rail or road operating as a centre for transshipment of sea cargo to inland destinations (Hanaoka & Regmi, 2011). Such policies and actions have more benefits to the society as a whole besides the economic and environment preservation advantages that they bring. The reduced distance that rail and road trucks would cover heading to the seaport to offer transport services directly reduces the levels of CO2 emission that would have resulted from such trips. The connection and use of rail in the dry ports, for example, also provide the economy of scale benefits for the parties involved but also greatly reduces the CO2 emission that would have occurred when the rail and road users would head straight to the seaport. Additional benefits such as increased lifespan for roads as most road trucks in the transport sector carry goods worth tones that often contributes to the road damage. Such benefits that result in savings for government can contribute to other environment projects in the society such as afforestation and environment preservation education programs in the society and formulate Policies that affect the intermodal transportation stakeholders by governments and primary stakeholders in the industry. Such as the introduction of levies and fees in the licensing and well as taxes imposed on the use of roads, rails and sea transport that go straight to the environment conservation and management authorities as seen in different societies also directly contributes to the positive aspects realized geared towards environment preservation. Such funds have resulted in the initiation of projects that educate the society as well as launch environment-sensitive projects as seen through environment management authorities, among others. When stakeholders pay such fees, it reinforces their sense of environment conservation and management aspects. The stakeholders in the transport sector additionally mostly have formulated internal policies that reinforce environment conservation aspects and actions within the companies such as proper waste management disposal and also sustainable energy consumption, among others. In the contemporary times, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a critical role for any business organization as well as other non-profit organizations in the world and the stakeholders in the intermodal transportation are not exempted. CSR projects that involve environment preservation have become a norm in intermodal transportation companies where they contribute directly and indirectly in actions that enhance environment conservation and preservation. Such acts have resulted in enhanced education on matters conserving the environment as well as supporting organizations concerned with environmental conservations such as the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) among others. The use of newer technology such as electric rails as opposed to diesel engine that contributed mostly to pollution has also contributed positively towards the goal of environment preservation in the intermodal transportation (López-Navarro, 2014). It has provided quicker and faster means of transport that is less pollutant to the environment.
Why Measures Have Been Taken To Help Limit the Spread of Pollution to Help Preserve the Environment
Intermodal transportation industry forms part of the world businesses and organizations. There is a consensus in the world that accepts the reality of global warming and climate change that most have occurred resulting from pollution. The negative impacts of global warming have directly resulted in massive losses to humanity, and worse threatened the existence of humanity in the future. The element of sustainable consumption and responsibility, thus, is prioritized to enable future generations to live sustainably without the threat of being extinct (Leinbach & Capineri, 2017). The current global disasters related to the environment such as floods, typhoons, desertification and famine, among others, have threatened the development and progress made by humanity. It is for this reason that all parties are encouraged to remain proactive in environment preservation measures and steps, including the intermodal transportation stakeholders. The businesses in the intermodal transportation sector also are under threat of existing in the future as the clients and business partners that make the industry succeed share the same world and global stage that is under the threat of extreme global warming and climate change challenges threatening humanity. The noted measures also enhance corporate image for the business in the intermodal transportation as responsible business entities in the highly competitive globalised world. The current consumers of goods and services are sensitive to the global concerns such as climate change. They will likely support and do business with organizations that also share the same global vision and objectives related to environment and humanity.
The different progress made and actions taken in the present, and plans in the intermodal transportation continue to incorporate ideas and concepts that enhance environment preservation. The use of sustainable and clean energy sources such solar systems, for example, is also incorporated and under research in different parts of the world that target to further reduce pollution in the intermodal transportation sector (López-Navarro, 2014 ). The world organizations have set up targets that they need to meet by given times in terms of reduced global emission of CO2 and other gasses that pollute the environment resulting in pollution. The advances noted that manifest in the policies developed by stakeholders concerned and governments, the improved safety standards in both sea and land transportation, the dry port concept that reduces the distance covered by rails and road users reducing pollution. Also, support CSR that preserve the environment and improved communication among others for sea transport. All have positively contributed to current actions and measures that conserve the environment by intermodal transportation players.
In conclusion, intermodal transportation plays a critical role in trade and international movements beyond the logistics sector. It has created thousands of opportunities in life that support the economic, social as well as political objectives. Environment conservation is an important part and role that all stakeholders have to contribute positively as shown by the intermodal transportation. The transport sector in the past has mainly been blamed as a great contributor to the CO2 levels in the environment that encourages climate change and global warming. However, all other sectors that include manufacturing, among others, also positively contribute to the pollution challenges. Research and innovative ways, thus, have to be supported and adopted to objectively address the pollution concern in the intermodal transportation sector as well as other industries.
References
Hanaoka, S. & Regmi, M.B. (2011). “Promoting intermodal freight transport through the development of dry ports in Asia: An environmental perspective.” IATSS Research , 35(1): 16-23. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111211000148
Konings,R., Priemus, H. & Nijkamp, P. (2008). The future of Intermodal Freight Transport; Operations, Design, and Policy . Edward Elgar Publishing Limited .
Leinbach, T. R., & Capineri, C. (2017). Globalized freight transport: Intermodality, e-commerce, logistics and sustainability . Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
López-Navarro, M.A. ( 2014). “Environmental Factors and Intermodal Freight Transportation: Analysis of the Decision Bases in the Case of Spanish Motorways of the Sea.” Sustainability , 6, 1544-1566. sustainability-06-01544-v2.pdf
Rowell, A. (2018). “BP: Oil Spill Clean-up Operations a “Welcome Boost to Local Economies.”’’ April 9, Oil Change International. Retrieved from http://priceofoil.org/2018/04/09/bp-oil-spill-clean-up-operations-a-welcome-boost-to-local-economies/
