The physical integration of the South American countries was indisputably regarded as a necessity in order to build the large hubs of regional development in the transport sectors. Therefore, the search for a greater competitiveness in the field of production deserves an assessment of the complementarity between the different transportation modes, giving rise to a multimodal network that should contribute to the sustainable development and improve production competitiveness in the region.

Multimodal transportation consists in carrying goods by at least two transportation modes from a specified place where the operator assumes their custody up to their destination, where the goods are delivered. This mode works within the framework of a bilateral, onerous and commutative contract in which the responsibility of the carrier is described. The significance of multimodal transport lies in the fact that commercial transactions have an increasing need for integrated operations, combining different transportation modes and companies, for which purpose adequate infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and the development of regional operators are required.

An efficient regional multimodal transport is increasingly significant if we take into account that the Integration and Development Hubs expect to connect logistics chains (by linking production centers, roads, ports, trains, and/or airports) for the export of goods and services. In light of this reality, IIRSA has conducted a diagnostic study on the situation of multimodal transportation in South America with an emphasis on its legal problems and the identification of common bases to institute a harmonized framework for the international multimodal transportation of goods.