From July to September 2021 rail carriers transported over 446 thous. units, which accounted for 732 thous. TEU. When compared to the same period last year, the number of units transported increased by 7.8 thous. units (1.8%) and the number of TEU by 7.6 thous. pcs (1.1%).
The total weight in intermodal transport in 3Q 2021 reached nearly 6.7 m tonnes. An increase – in comparison with the corresponding period of 2020 - was over 0.5 m tonnes (8.6%). The transport performance was over 2.1 bn tonne-km. Taking into account that in 3Q 2020 the transport performance was less than 2.1 bn tonnes-km, the increase is 1.8%. The share of intermodal services in rail freight amounted to 10.9% in weight and 14.7% in work performed.
The intermodal transport market is growing year by year. The results of three quarters of 2021 in relation to three quarters of 2020 are better by over 2.5 m tonnes in the weight transported and by over 0.3 bn tonne-km in the transport performance. Intermodal transport is on the rise, but its further development requires support from all market players. We should also fully use the potential of intermodal transport. We observe that a part of transport chain are empty units. The transport process can be planned so that the containers do not return empty - they are universal and can be used for many types of cargo - comments Ignacy Góra, President of the Office of Rail Transport.
In Poland intermodal rail transport dominates in international transport services: in import, export and transit. In 3Q 2021 domestic transport accounted for 21.4% in the number of units, 18.9% in the number of TEU, 18.9% in weight and 21.5% in transport performance in relation to total intermodal transport.
Import plays a key role in international transport, which in 3Q 2021 accounted for 39.8% of the weight transported and 29.0% of the transport performance. The export of goods from Poland is 29.7% of the weight transported and 26.2% of the transport performance. Even though the transit services are only 11.6% of the total intermodal transport in weight, they account for 23.4% of the transport performance.
In 3Q 2021 among intermodal units in rail transport containers had the largest share - approx. 96%. The remaining 4% are semi-trailers and car trailers, swap bodies, trucks, tractors with semi-trailers and others. It is worth noting that the share of 40ft containers reached 56% of all units and in transit 40ft containers accounted for 93% of all units.
In 3Q 2021 intermodal rail transport services were performed by 22 licensed carriers.
Detailed intermodal transport data can be found on our new statistical portal at https://dane.utk.gov.pl/sts/transport-intermodalny