Transloading
Encyclopedia
For the data downloading process, see sideload.
Transloading is the process of transferring a shipment from one mode of transportation to another. It is most commonly employed when one mode cannot be used for the entire trip, as for instance when goods must be shipped internationally from one inland point to another. Such a trip might require transport by truck
to an airport
, then by airplane overseas, and thence to another truck at its destination; or it might involve bulk material (such as coal
) loaded to rail at the mine
, and then transferred to ship
at a port
. Transloading is also required at railroad break of gauge points since the equipment between lines is not compatible.
Since transfer requires handling of the goods, it causes expense and risk of damage. Therefore transloading facilities are designed with the intent of minimizing the handling. Due to differing capacities of the different modes, the facilities typically require some storage facility such as warehouse
s or rail yard
s. For bulk goods specialized material handling and storage are typically provided (as for example in grain elevator
s). Intermodal
transport limits handling by using standardized containers
which are handled as units, and which also serve for storage if needed.
, but they represent distinctly different concepts. Transloading concerns the mechanics of transport, while transshipment is essentially a legal term addressing how the shipment originates and is destined. Consider a load of grain
: it is transloaded at the elevator, but at that point it is combined with grain from other farms and thus leaves on the train as a distinct shipment from that in which it arrived. It thus cannot be said to be transshipped. Or consider a package shipped though a package delivery
service or the mail
s: it may change shipping mode several times along the trip, but since it is (from an external point of view) conveyed as a single shipment regardless of how it is conveyed or what else travels with it on the legs of its journey, it is not considered to be transshipped. Conversely, a load on a truck can be taken in one (legal) shipment to an intermediate point on its journey, and then taken to its ultimate destination without ever leaving the truck. If this is specified as two shipments, then the goods are transshipped; no transloading, however, has taken place.
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Transloading can occur at any place a truck can pull up to another truck or a train, and may be accomplished by no more elaborate means than teamster
s and stevedore
s. In the interests of speed and efficiency, however, a variety of specialized equipment is used to handle the goods. Thus, intermodal facilities have specialized cranes for handling the containers
, and coal pier
s have car dumpers
, loaders
, conveyors, and other equipment for unloading and loading railroad car
s and ship
s quickly and with a minimum of personnel.
Often the equipment used to ship the goods is optimized for rapid transfer. For instance, shipment of automobile
s is expedited by autorack
rail cars and roll-on roll-off ships which can be loaded without cranes or other equipment. Standardized containers allow the use of common handling equipment and obviate break bulk
handling.
Transloading is often combined with classification and routing facilities, since the latter often requires handling of goods.
Transloading is the process of transferring a shipment from one mode of transportation to another. It is most commonly employed when one mode cannot be used for the entire trip, as for instance when goods must be shipped internationally from one inland point to another. Such a trip might require transport by truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
to an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
, then by airplane overseas, and thence to another truck at its destination; or it might involve bulk material (such as coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
) loaded to rail at the mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
, and then transferred to ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
at a port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
. Transloading is also required at railroad break of gauge points since the equipment between lines is not compatible.
Since transfer requires handling of the goods, it causes expense and risk of damage. Therefore transloading facilities are designed with the intent of minimizing the handling. Due to differing capacities of the different modes, the facilities typically require some storage facility such as warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
s or rail yard
Rail yard
A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....
s. For bulk goods specialized material handling and storage are typically provided (as for example in grain elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
s). Intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
transport limits handling by using standardized containers
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
which are handled as units, and which also serve for storage if needed.
Transloading versus Transshipment
Transloading may be confused with transshipmentTransshipment
Transshipment or Transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, and then from there to yet another destination....
, but they represent distinctly different concepts. Transloading concerns the mechanics of transport, while transshipment is essentially a legal term addressing how the shipment originates and is destined. Consider a load of grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
: it is transloaded at the elevator, but at that point it is combined with grain from other farms and thus leaves on the train as a distinct shipment from that in which it arrived. It thus cannot be said to be transshipped. Or consider a package shipped though a package delivery
Package delivery
Package delivery or parcel delivery is the shipping of packages or high value mail as single shipments. While the service is provided by most postal systems, private package delivery services have also existed in competition with and in place of public postal services.-Package delivery in the...
service or the mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
s: it may change shipping mode several times along the trip, but since it is (from an external point of view) conveyed as a single shipment regardless of how it is conveyed or what else travels with it on the legs of its journey, it is not considered to be transshipped. Conversely, a load on a truck can be taken in one (legal) shipment to an intermediate point on its journey, and then taken to its ultimate destination without ever leaving the truck. If this is specified as two shipments, then the goods are transshipped; no transloading, however, has taken place.
Transloading facilities
Teamster
A teamster, in modern American English, is a truck driver. The trade union named after them is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters , one of the largest unions in the United States....
s and stevedore
Stevedore
Stevedore, dockworker, docker, dock labourer, wharfie and longshoreman can have various waterfront-related meanings concerning loading and unloading ships, according to place and country....
s. In the interests of speed and efficiency, however, a variety of specialized equipment is used to handle the goods. Thus, intermodal facilities have specialized cranes for handling the containers
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
, and coal pier
Coal pier
A coal pier is a transloading facility designed for the transfer of coal between rail and ship.The typical facility for loading ships consists of a holding area and a system of conveyors for transferring the coal to dockside and loading it into the ship's cargo holds...
s have car dumpers
Rotary car dumper
A rotary car dumper or wagon tippler is a mechanism used for unloading certain railroad cars such as hopper cars, gondolas or lorries . It holds the rail car to a section of track and rotates the track and car together to dump out the contents. Used with gondola cars, it is making open hopper cars...
, loaders
Loader (equipment)
A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material into or onto another type of machinery .-Heavy equipment front loaders:A loader A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material (such as asphalt,...
, conveyors, and other equipment for unloading and loading railroad car
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
s and ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s quickly and with a minimum of personnel.
Often the equipment used to ship the goods is optimized for rapid transfer. For instance, shipment of automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s is expedited by autorack
Autorack
An autorack, also known as an auto carrier, is a specialized piece of railroad rolling stock used to transport automobiles and light trucks, generally from factories to automotive distributors...
rail cars and roll-on roll-off ships which can be loaded without cranes or other equipment. Standardized containers allow the use of common handling equipment and obviate break bulk
Break bulk cargo
In shipping, break bulk cargo or general cargo is a term that covers a great variety of goods that must be loaded individually, and not in intermodal containers nor in bulk as with oil or grain. Ships that carry this sort of cargo are often called general cargo ships...
handling.
Transloading is often combined with classification and routing facilities, since the latter often requires handling of goods.