What is a Dry Port?

A dry port is an intermodal freight terminal located inside of a country or economic region that connects through the rail network, with the sea port of origin or destination of traffic. Hence the name "dry port" in handling port traffic in an inner region ( hinterland ).
Intermodality is one of the characteristics of a Dry Port. It means combining different modes or forms of transport in order to make more agile, flexible, reliable and efficient transport of goods.
The Dry Port of Madrid, is an intermodal platform, combining rail, sea and road transport. The Dry Port of Madrid is part of a chain of transport, an intermodal chain uses the best means of transport for each of its stages, achieving efficiency in the flow of goods.
The vehicle that has allowed intermodal transport chains and consequently a dramatic growth in international traffic of goods, is the container. The use of container has been imposed in intermodal transport chains as it facilitates handling, mechanization of processes while minimizing losses and damage to cargo. This growing importance of container traffic in both the maritime traffic and the land traffic, leading to specialization and development of terminals specifically designed to treat this type of goods. And this is where the need arises to Madrid Dry Port.