Trade-offs in multimodal transport options: the case of logs carriage from U.S. to South Korea

This study aims to explain the concept of multimodal transport and to provide the motives of and key trade-offs in utilising multimodal transport. To demonstrate these, a case study as a main methodology, carriages of logs from the U.S. to South Korea, was analysed by the “UNCTAD Cost Model”. By doing so, this study clarifies motives and trade-offs of multimodal transport with a real case. The finding of this study suggests that optimised use of multimodal transport with consideration of their trade-offs can enhance shippers’ competitiveness in globalised circumstances. Besides, this finding can help the managers of multimodal transport companies to minimise the transport costs and time in the transportation of log carriages between U.S. and South Korea.