Container depot

Container depot
See also
Door to door service Export incentives Sea freight Types of transport Transport infrastructure Indirect sales Public warehouse Export management company Transloading

Container depot is container which offers servicing of goods during shipping. The most typical is an inland container deport (ICD, called also inland clearance depot, dry port, container freight stations). It is terminal for containers, located in seaports and provides :

• handling of container,
• storage of container,
• handling of break-bulk cargo,
• customs inspection,
• customs clearance,
• general cargo .

Usually they are located near to seaports terminals.

Types of handling cargos

Container depot may be used for all types of cargo, including:

1. containerized,
2. non-containerized,
3. break-bulk,
4. bulk cargoes.

Benefits of inland container depots

Inland container deports is highly advised solutions, as it brings many benefits (especially in big cities) such as :

• operational improvements,
• enhancement of capacity,
• easing pressure strategy,
• possibilities of expansion of them,
• fast solution,
• cost-effective,
• helps to avoid congestion or reduce it (for trucks, ports, roads),
• they are attractive for trade purposes,
• enables to better control transport flows,
• improved logistics performance,
• regional development,
• modal shift,
• decreased CO2 emissions (especially when sea terminal is combined with rail terminal),
• keeping distribution centers and users close to each other (port operators, shipping companies, rail companies, real estate companies, logistic service providers),
• different forms of partnerships available (such as private, public or mix of public-private partnerships),
• possibility to integrate freight network.

Examples of locations of container depots

Below table presents some locations of highly development shipment hubs, which uses container depots <ref> United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, (2015)<ref>.

Location	Characteristics	Examples
China	9 intermodal rail hubs (hinterland)	Kunming located 1500 km by rail from Shenzhen Port
India	52 rail hubs (hinterland)	Tuklakabad (Delhi) located 1510 km by rail from Mumbai ports
Republic of Korea	5 terminals	Uiwang located 380 km by road and 410 km by rail from Busan Port
Thailand	Lard Krabang	Lard Krabang located 118 km by rail from Laem Chabang Port

Author: Jolanta Lesnicka

References

• Erera A. L., Morales J. C., Savelsbergh M., (2005), Global intermodal tank container management for the chemical industry in "Transportation Research Part E 41", Georgia Institute of Technology
• Furió, S., Andrés Romano, C., Adenso Díaz, B., Lozano Segura, S., (2013), Optimization of empty container movements using street-turn: Application to Valencia hinterland. Computers and Industrial Engineering, University in Valencia
• Konings R., Thijs R., (2001), Foldable Containers: a New Perspective on Reducing Container-Repositioning Costs Technological, logistic and economic issues in "EJTIR, 1, no. 4 ", Delft University of Technology
• Mwemezi J. J., Huang Y. (2012), Inland container depot integration into logistics networks based on network flow model: The Tanzanian perspective in "African Journal of Business Management Vol. 6(24)", Shanghai Maritime University
• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, (2015), Planning, development and operation of dry ports of international importance. Report on trends in the development of inland ports and policies underlying their development in selected countries of the UNESCAP region, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok