Intermodal nodes and external costs: Re-thinking the current network organization

Modern ports are part of intermodal and international networks and have great effects at regional level, influencing both the efficiency of the local markets and the external costs of the served industries. Several studies point out that modern ports need to be included in an efficient network system in order to exploit all their potential. Further, concerning the role of the ports within the whole supply chain, key elements are the location and organization of intermediate facilities – such as logistic parks or inland ports – that heavily affect the effectiveness of the logistic corridors. The accuracy in designing a logistic system can have a big impact on the externalities induced by the transportation, too. New and adequate infrastructures can reduce transport congestions, pollution and accidents. The proposed study evaluates potential locations of inland ports that might serve a market through different alternatives, in terms of transport modes, costs and distances. The present study has the additional goal of including the external costs in the decision process. For this scope, a linear programming model with both continuous and binary decision variables is given. The required parameters and the constraints of the problem are shown, together with real data concerning the Italian north-western regions and the related infrastructures. Thanks to the proposed model, different intermodal freight logistic networks are compared; in particular, a sensitivity analysis on both the rail capacity and external costs is performed. Note that the outcomes can be used for improving current transport policies that might foster a more efficient and less impacting hinterland transport solution.