In a world where “order today, delivered tomorrow” is the standard, the speed of goods transport is crucial. Even for special and heavy transport, speed often matters: after all, someone is waiting for a machine or an important component. But before your shipment reaches its final destination, it usually follows a complex route. Key junctions in the international network are the terminals. These locations are much more than just places for loading and unloading; they serve as important logistical nodes—also known as hubs. In this article, we explain what makes a terminal a hub and why this function is indispensable in the transport world.
A hub is a central location in a network where goods come together and are then sorted and forwarded. Think of an airport for passengers, but for cargo. The purpose of a hub is to streamline the flow of goods: items from different origins converge there. They are then sorted and stored before continuing their journey to multiple final destinations. A logistics hub is therefore a place where transport, storage, and distribution activities are concentrated.
In the logistics world, a terminal fulfills this hub function. It is a location for loading and transshipment of heavy cargo. This could be a seaport where wind turbine blades are transferred from an ocean vessel to an inland barge, an airport where cargo moves from the aircraft to distribution centers, or a railway station for domestic transport.
By connecting different transport modes such as road, water, and rail; terminals play an important multimodal hub role. In addition, terminals often provide various services, such as inspections and checks, repair and maintenance, and documentation and administration.
A modern terminal does much more than simply move cargo. It is a fully-fledged logistics center where various essential activities for international transport take place.
Goods do not always arrive at the perfect moment. Terminals offer temporary storage facilities to regulate the flow of goods. This allows a shipment to wait for the right means of transport or for final transit to the customer.
In other cases, storage is not necessary. During transit, goods are transferred directly from one means of transport to another. This minimizes storage time and significantly speeds up transportation, which is ideal for large machines or components that are needed immediately on-site.
Van der Vlist offers various technical services that can be carried out at the terminal. These services go far beyond simple loading and unloading. Examples include adjusting the configuration of a load, dismantling or assembling large machine parts, cleaning machines, and performing pre-delivery inspections (PDI).
Terminals also function as a checkpoint in the supply chain. Loads can be checked for damage or deviations upon arrival, ensuring potential issues are detected early and ensuring that the shipment has arrived intact, complete, and safe.
The role of a terminal as a logistics hub has many advantages for individual transport, the transport chain and the world:
The central location allows goods flows to be bundled. A ship no longer needs to dock at every port; it can unload its cargo at one large hub, from where the goods are distributed over land. This leads to fewer empty kilometres and more efficient use of transport, which reduces costs.
The global supply chain is vulnerable. A traffic jam, strike or natural disaster can disrupt the entire chain. Terminals as hubs offer the necessary flexibility to adapt quickly. It is possible to divert or store goods flows until the situation returns to normal, minimising the impact of disruptions on deliveries.
Efficiency is one of the pillars of sustainability in the transport world. By bundling different transports and cleverly combining transport modes – such as transferring road transport to rail or inland waterway transport – CO₂ emissions per transport are significantly reduced.
As specialists in exceptional transport and logistics, we have the expertise and facilities to make optimal use of the multimodal hub function. Our terminals are strategically located within Europe and equipped with the necessary infrastructure to process your transport quickly and safely.
Our Moerdijk and Zeebrugge locations are located directly in the port, the Hull and Barcelona locations are close to a seaport, Groot-Ammers is located along the Lek river and Algolsheim is located along the Rhine in the French Alsace region. Moerdijk is in fact a trimodal terminal: road, water and rail come together here.
A major advantage of multimodal terminals is, of course, their lower environmental impact. After all, transport by rail and water has lower emissions. In addition, it is often more efficient: for example, it is very difficult to obtain an exemption for transport in Germany with a length of more than 20 metres, whereas this is often much more efficient to organize by ship.
Are you looking for a partner who understands the complexity of international logistics for exceptional loads? With us, you are assured of a seamless transport process, in which our terminals form the indispensable link. From initial storage to final transit, we ensure that your cargo is in the best hands. Contact us to discuss how we can help you with your specific transport needs.
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