A presentation on the concept of Synchromodality, its core elements and how it can be achieved in a freight transport system

1. SYNCHROMODAL FREIGHT
TRANSPORT:
What, Why and How?
Behzad Behdani
Operations Research & Logistics Group
Wageningen University

2. What is discussed here
2
 What is Intermodal freight transport?
 Challenges for intermodal freight transport
 What is synchromodal freight transport?
 Main enablers for synchromodal freight transport
 Hierarchy of decision problems in a synchromodal
freight transport system
© Behzad Behdani

3. For whom this might be useful?
3
 For practitioners in Container Transport, Logistics
and Supply Chain domains who would like to know
more about Synchromodality and how it can be
achieved in a freight transport system
 For researchers who want to have a clear
understanding of this concept and its main enablers
 For technical support and business consultancies that
inevstiagte the Synchromodality in freight
transport systems and support operationalizing this
concept
© Behzad Behdani

4. Intermodal freight transport
4
 Definition by European Commission (1997) for
Intermodal Freight Transport :
“the movement of goods in one loading unit, which uses
successively several modes of transport without handling of
the goods themselves in transshipment between the modes”.
© Behzad Behdani
Inland
Terminal
Sea
Terminal
Main transport

5. Barriers for intermodal transport
5
1. Operational problems, for example:
 Train decoupling
 Use of rail infra for both passenger/freight transport
 Terminal opening hours
2. Organizational problems, for example:
 Co-ordinations between multiple partners and timing of road
haulage
3. Economical problems , for example
 High transshipment cost
Source:Wichser, J. (2001). Technical and operational developments needed for a better market success of intermodal freight
transport.

6. Customer perception of Intermodal
Transport vs. Road Transport
6Source: INRETS (2000). IQ - Intermodal quality Final report for publication.
© Behzad Behdani

7. Synchromodality aims at
strengthening the strong
elements and addressing the
existing weaknesses of
intermodal transport.
7

8. What is synchromodal transport?
A Map of Relevant Concepts
8
Many different
concepts are
discussed around the
synchromodality
concept.
Which of them are
really the core
elements of
Synchromodality?
© Behzad Behdani

9. What is synchromodal transport?
A Map of Relevant Concepts
9
Some concepts are
more the pre-
requisites for
synchromodality,
some are only
relevant for some
specific business
models.
Only TWO
concepts are in the
core definition of
Synchromodality.
© Behzad Behdani

10. How to arrange the concepts?
10
© Behzad Behdani

11. Two concepts at the heart of Synchromodality
11
1) Systemic (integrated) view:
 Looking at the complementary nature of modalities:
 Not looking at one modality for freight transport but looking at all
available modalities in defining intermodal services.
 Managing multiple transport chains in an integrated (and
orchestrated) way.
 Looking at the complementary nature of transport network:
 Not looking at the individual routes and corridors (independently)
but looking at the whole network in defining intermodal services.
 Planning and operation at the network level.
2) Flexibility (easy re-configuration):
 The possibility to switch between modalities (or routes) and making
decision for the best available service based on actual circumstances
(e.g., traffic information and real-time availability of modalities)
 Making the real-time adjustments to handle an unexpected event (e.g.,
the late arrival of barges, order cancellations, or the late releasing of
containers)
© Behzad Behdani

12. Two concepts at the heart of Synchromodality
12
To provide Flexibility in intermodal transport, we need:
 Availability:
Firstly, multiple options (e.g., modalities or routes) must be available; otherwise, we
cannot have any flexibility or switching in our transport system.
 Mobility:
There should be little penalty (e.g., in terms of regulation, insurance, documentation or
technical inconsistency) to switch from one option to another option. Otherwise,
although there might be multiple options available but - as there is a high penalty- we
cannot switch freely to the best available one at the operational level.
Two important points:
1. One of the main drivers of Mobility in a Synchromodal System is A-Modal Booking
(or Mode-free Booking); if shippers book containers on specified transport modes
(or services), there is no freedom/possibility to provide flexibility by switching
between different modes
2. More STANDARDIZATION in terms of Documentation, Processes (for different
modalities) etc. improves the Mobility and support implementing a Synchromodal
System
 Visibility:
Flexibility needs insight into available options. So, there can be cases in which different
options are available and there is little penalty to switch from one option to another
(better) one, but as we are not aware of those options, we cannot switch and achieve
the flexibility in the freight transport system © Behzad Behdani

13. Conceptual framework to define
synchromodality
13
Synchromodality
SystemicView
(or Integrated
View)
Flexibility
(easy re-
configuration)
Availability
(range of
options)
Mobility
(little transition
penalty)
Visibility
(transparency of
options)
Information availability and
network monitoring
Inter-operability and
Standardization in freight
transport system
Design based on
complementary nature of
modalities
© Behzad Behdani

14. Dual integration in a Synchromodal
Freight Transport System
Vertical Integration
HorizontalIntegration
Uni-modal
(Road)Transport
Inter-modal
Transport
Synchro-modal
Transport
14
© Behzad Behdani

15. Potential impact of Synchromodality
on freight transport system
Synchromodality
Reliability
Resilience
Sustainability
Capacity
Utilization
+
+
+
+
Improved
Service
Provision
+
15
© Behzad Behdani

16. What must be synchronized?
Synchronized
System
Customer
Demand/
Need
Moving
Resources
Stationary
Resources
Multiple
Transport
Chains
16
Details can be found in:
Behdani, Behzad and Fan,Yun and Wiegmans, Bart and Zuidwijk, Rob, Multimodal Schedule Design for Synchromodal FreightTransport
Systems.Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2438851 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2438851

17. Different types of Synchromodality
17
© Behzad Behdani

18. Hierarchy of decision problems in a
synchromodal freight transport system
18
Synchromodal
Network Design
Synchromodal
Service Pricing
Strategies
Intermodal Gain
Sharing and
Contract Design
Synchromodal
Service Design
Operational
Resource
Scheduling
Exceptional
Handling & Real-
time Switching
OperationalTactical
Strategic
Details can be found in:
Behdani, Behzad and Fan,Yun and Wiegmans, Bart and Zuidwijk, Rob, Multimodal Schedule Design for Synchromodal FreightTransport
Systems.Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2438851 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2438851

19. 19
Synchromodal
Service Design
Operational
Resource
Scheduling
Customer
Demand/
Need
Stationary
Resources
Moving
Resources
Expected demand
Actual demand
Route/Frequency of service
(for each mode)
Different synchromodal requirements
for different decision problems
© Behzad Behdani

20. Synchromodal Network
Design
Synchromodal Service
Design
Synchromodal
Operation & Control
Enablers for Synchromodal Freight
Transport System development
20
© Behzad Behdani

21. 21
Thanks for your attention.
What is presented here is based on an ongoing exploratory research
in which we have interviewed more than 15 experts who have
done several projects on Synchromodal FreightTransport or
have been actively involved in the development of this concept.
If you have done some business cases or projects on synchromodality
and would like to share your experience and knowledge with us in
this research, please kindly contact me at the following e-mail
address: Behzad. Behdani@wur.nl.
Some details of our resaerch is persented in:
Behdani, Behzad and Fan,Yun andWiegmans, Bart and Zuidwijk, Rob,
Multimodal Schedule Design for Synchromodal Freight Transport
Systems.Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2438851.
If you would like to have further information about this work or you
have some comments about the content, please also send me an
email at my afore-mentioned email adress.
© Behzad Behdani