Decarbonizing Freight Through Intermodal Transport: An Operations Research Perspective—Part II: Modal Configurations and Sustainability Pathways

Building upon the methodological synthesis presented in Part I, this second part of our two-part survey examines how operations research (OR) models have been applied to capture the broader dynamics of intermodal transport (IMT) in pursuit of decarbonization. The analysis integrates chronological, modal, and sustainability-oriented perspectives to reveal how IMT strategies evolve across transportation modes, policy environments, and temporal contexts. We identify how efficiency gains, modal shifts, and low-carbon technologies interact within OR frameworks, and assess their implications for emissions reduction, energy use, and network resilience. By bridging technical modeling approaches with system-level sustainability objectives, this study offers a holistic understanding of the pathways through which OR supports the transition toward low-carbon freight systems and highlights research gaps for future interdisciplinary work.