To create effective alternatives to long-distance road freight traffic, the complete intermodal chain that uses waterborne transport as a major component must be competitive with road transport. Since cargo must be transferred between ships/barges and land transport modes (trucks or trains) at least twice, the efficiency of the port/ship interface is of vital importance to attaining such competitiveness. To encourage Short Sea Shipping (SSS) in an intermodal context, ports must become efficient and cost-effective logistic hubs where all available modes of transport can be effectively interconnected. To this end, port facilities, organisation procedures and communication systems must be optimised, and the logistical network of the hinterland infrastructure must be aligned with the port capacities and capabilities.