Intermodal freight terminals: an analysis of the terminal market

Abstract

Intermodality has become a major goal in modern transport policy. The improvement of combined transport within the European Union includes the refinement of freight terminal services. A freight terminal is a nodal place where goods are transhipped between any two or more transport modes. In this paper we describe and analyse the freight terminal market with the help of Porter's model of five competitive forces. The central question is: who are the stakeholders in the terminal market? We will particularly address the critical decision factors faced by terminal operators in terms of strategic importance, location and network configuration of freight terminals by employing Porter's competitive focus. First, the industry competitors in the freight terminal market will be analysed. Second, the buyers of the freight terminal services will be described, followed by the suppliers of the terminal infrastructure. Other competitive forces are the potential entrants into the terminal market and the substitutes for the use of freight terminals. An additional competitive force is added to our conceptual model in the form of the terminal environment. After the outline of this analytical framework of the freight terminal market, it is possible to identify where the economic power is located in the terminal market and how the positions of the different players in the market can be enhanced. The analysis will further address (de)regulation competences for different governmental levels involved in terminal activities.