The role of dry ports, intermodal, and synchromodal systems in reducing inland freight transport costs, time, and CO2 emissions for international shipping in Bangladesh and Malaysia

This study investigates the role of dry ports, intermodal, and synchromodal systems in connecting seaports and plays a vibrant role in reducing transport costs, time, and CO2 emissions for international shipping. Port authorities have now influenced the government to set inland nodes and connect them to feature the intermodal systems seamlessly. Considering the geographical conditions of a country and the integrated connection between seaports and dry ports, a synchromodal application is possible, subject to having more than one mode. A qualitative research method is applied to analyze how two maritime countries of Asia, Bangladesh and Malaysia, can set more dry ports in connecting to major seaports in the light of intermodality and synchromodality. It was pragmatic that ports located in Asia, managed by the port authority model, particularly in Bangladesh and Malaysia, are leaders in setting, guiding, and operating inland dry ports, also executing strategies for freight transportation boldly. The most widely used strategies for encouraging hinterland freight movements by road, rail, and waterways have been determined to be technological solutions and intermodal transportation promotion. The major findings of the research are to set integrated inland freight transport connectivity, construct more dry ports, and apply modern transport technology like synchromodal in both countries to implement intermodal freight transportation systems actively. Bangladesh is potentially in an advantageous condition to apply synchromodal systems, but dry port infrastructure is a must in the industrial areas, and policy support is required to allow road intermodal. Malaysian intermodal transport is not up to the mark, as traditional road transport is popular. So, it is vital to establish dry ports in the major cities and manufacturing areas in connection with seaports before applying a synchromodal system in peninsular Malaysia. The practical impacts of this research include setting up dry ports, offering last-mile facilities to port users, and implementing a synchromodal system, which collectively provides modal options to reduce inland transit time, transport, and CO2 emissions.