Editing Freight transport (section)

==Modes of shipment==
[[File:Freight goods according to mode of transportation 2010.png|thumb|309x309px|Global freight volumes according to mode of transport in trillions of [[tonne-kilometre]]s in 2010]]

In 2015, 108 trillion [[tonne-kilometer]]s were transported worldwide (anticipated to grow by 3.4% per year until 2050 (128 Trillion in 2020)): 70% by sea, 18% by road, 9% by rail, 2% by [[inland waterway]]s and less than 0.25% by air.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/global-freight-demand-to-triple-by-2050 |title= Global Freight Demand to Triple by 2050 |work= The Maritime Executive |date= May 27, 2019}}</ref>

===Grounds===
{{Main|Road transport|Rail transport|Rail freight transport}}

Land or "ground" shipping can be made by [[train]] or by [[truck]] (British English: [[lorry]]). Ground transport is typically more affordable than air, but more expensive than sea, especially in [[developing countries]], where inland [[infrastructure]] may not be efficient. In air and sea shipments, ground transport is required to take the cargo from its place of origin to the [[airport]] or [[seaport]] and then to its destination because it is not always possible to establish a production facility near ports due to the limited coastlines of countries.

===Ship===
{{Main|Ship transport|Cargo ship}}

[[File:Jawaharlal Nehru Trust Port.jpg|thumb|Harbour cranes unload cargo from a container ship at the [[Jawaharlal Nehru Port]], [[Navi Mumbai]], [[India]].]]

Much freight transport is done by [[cargo ship]]s. An individual nation's fleet and the people that crew it are referred to as its [[merchant navy]] or merchant marine. According to a 2018 report from the [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)]], merchant shipping (or seaborne trade) carries 80-90% of [[international trade]] and 60-70% by value.<ref>{{cite web |last1=United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) |title=50 Years of Review of Maritime Transport, 1968-2018: Reflecting on the past, exploring the future |url=https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/dtl2018d1_en.pdf |access-date=15 March 2022 |ref=UNCTAD |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315095316/https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/dtl2018d1_en.pdf |archive-date=15 March 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|4}} On rivers and [[canal]]s, [[barge]]s are often used to carry [[bulk cargo]].

===Air===
{{Main|Cargo airlines}}

Cargo is transported by [[air]] in specialized cargo aircraft and in the luggage compartments of passenger aircraft. Air freight is typically the fastest mode for long-distance freight transport, but it is also the most expensive.

===Space===
{{Main|Space logistics}}

===Multimodal===
{{Main|Multimodal transport}}

Cargo is exchanged between different modes of transportation via [[transport hub]]s, also known as [[transport hub|transport interchanges]] or [[Outline of transport#Nodes|Nodes]] (e.g. train stations, airports, etc.). Cargo is shipped under a single contract but performed using at least two different modes of transport (e.g. ground and air). Cargo may not be containerized.

===Intermodal===
{{Main|Intermodal freight transport}}

Multimodal transport featuring containerized cargo (or [[intermodal container]]) that is easily transferred between ship, rail, plane and truck.

For example, a shipper works together with both ground and air transportation to ship an item overseas. Intermodal freight transport is used to plan the route and carry out the shipping service from the manufacturer to the door of the recipient.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmlplc.com/freight-forwarding|title=Freight Forwarding - CML|last=Ltd.|first=Core Management Logistics|website=www.cmlplc.com|access-date=2016-11-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mach1global.com/what-are-freight-shipping-services/ |title=Freight Shipping Services|last=Ltd.|first=Mach 1 Global Logistics|website=mach1global.com/|date=16 January 2018|access-date=2018-01-22}}</ref>