Introducing a single standard for intermodal loading units is one of the priorities of European transport policy. According to the White Paper titled “European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide” from 2001, a new loading unit is a prerequisite for the dynamic development of intermodal transport. These, by utilizing environmentally friendly modes of transport: maritime, rail, and inland waterway transport, constitute an alternative to road transport. And building a rational alternative to road transport is the most important goal of European transport policy in the coming years. It is therefore worth analyzing the European Commission’s proposal regarding the European intermodal loading unit, published in April 2003.
Currently, intermodal loading units (ILUs) include: containers, swap bodies, semi-trailers, and road trains. The most controversy surrounds the first two loading units. Due to differences in construction and external dimensions, containers cannot be used interchangeably with swap bodies.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2003/5.