Dry ports and Inland Ports

Dry ports

Definition

A dry port (sometimes inland port) is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected by road or rail to a seaport and operating as a centre for the transshipment (shipment of goods or container to an intermediate destination, and then from there to yet another destination) of sea cargo to inland destinations.

In addition to their role in cargo transshipment, dry ports may also include facilities for storage and consolidation of goods, maintenance for road or rail cargo carriers and customs clearance services. The location of these facilities at a dry port relieves competition for storage and customs space at the seaport itself.

How they make import and export easier, and increase trade

– Better customs checking/clearance/easier collection of taxes/revenue

– Better transport links/easier transport to the associated sea port/cheaper transport to associated sea port

– Container facilities

– Better management

– Storage in sheds and open areas

– Refrigeration available

– Quicker processing/less time lost/avoid delays at associated sea port

– Less congestion at associated sea port/eases pressure at associated sea port

Dry ports sources

Inland ports

Definition

“An Inland Port is a physical site located away from traditional land, air and coastal borders with the vision to facilitate and process international trade through strategic investment in multi-modal transportation assets and by promoting value-added services as goods move through the supply chain”. — Center for Transportation Research, University of Texas.

The term inland port is used in two different but related ways to mean either a port on an inland waterway or an inland site carrying out some functions of a seaport.

As a port on an inland waterway

An inland port in the wide sense, as used in common speech, is simply a port on an inland waterway such as a river, lake or canal.

As an inland site with seaport function

An Inland Port is just such an inland site linked to a seaport. This kind of inland port does not require a waterway. It is often written with initial capitals to indicate a difference to the common usage. Key features of an Inland Port are the transfer of containers between different modes of transportation (intermodal transfer) and the processing of international trade. This differentiates an inland port from a container depot or transport hub.

Advantages of inland location

The idea is to move the time-consuming sorting and processing of containers inland, away from congested seaports.

An inland port could also speed the flow of cargo between ships and major land transportation networks, which would carry goods to the rest of the country.

Benefits to customer by such distribution

–        Tailored offerings from Dell in terms of add-on products and services

–        Very customizable systems at an affordable rate, since Dell manufacturing builds specifically for each customer

An example: Winnipeg Inland Port Manitoba

Manitoba is becoming one of the North America´s most important trading centres. The Government of Manitoba and Canada will invest over $460M into Winipeg´s CentrePort Canada and related projects. This incluyes the development of a high-speed transportation corridor for the Inland Port.

The Government of Manitoba is building an “inland port” around Winnipeg´s International Airport, intending to take advantage of the city´s proximity to the geographic  center of North America. It´s the result of a dynamic partnership between governments and the private sector.

These improvements will emphasize highway and rail linkages, which would facilitate the shipping of goods flown into Winnipeg on massive cargo planes.

Inland Ports sources

Inland Port Manitoba