P400 multimodal transport, road - rail

Multimodal transport is a type of transport in which more than one type of vehicle is used to transport goods, with just one transport contract. It is normally used to transport goods over long distances in dry freight vans, steel vans, reefers and curtainsiders.

Multimodal transport makes it possible to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, since it is more eco-friendly and pollutes less. It can in addition help meet the sustainable development goals, SDG, set by the United Nations Development Programme. 

The P400 reference establishes the most widely used standard of measurement for Huckepack semi-trailers. This nomenclature indicates that the maximum height at which a semi-trailer can be transported by rail is limited to four metres. This limit is set from the base of the wagon to the top of the semi-trailer, with the suspension being airless in order to comply with that height. 

In rail wagons, the semi-trailer is transported without the tractive unit, which is uncoupled beforehand to lift the semi-trailer onto the wagon. At the end of the rail journey, the semi-trailer is re-coupled to a tractive unit that takes it to its destination. Lecitrailer's specially prepared P400 semitrailers allow the semi-trailers to be inserted and extracted by hoisting them mechanically, which is much more versatile than other methods such as Modalohr or CargoBeamer, which have more limited transport routes, and where the vehicles must enter the support on wheels before  being placed on the wagon.

When manufacturing Huckepack semi-trailers, it is necessary to include supporting reinforcements in the chassis to allow them to be coupled and hoisted mechanically. The suspension is specific for this type of vehicle so that it does not get damaged when hoisted and handled. Lecitrailer's P400 sheeted semi-trailers are designed and manufactured with both fixed and lifting bodies. In order to make the vehicle more versatile in terms of multimodality, it is also recommended that it be equipped with protection and maritime transport systems, thus making it suitable for multimodal transport by road, rail and sea.