The choice of the mode of transport is a very important aspect when the entire shipping process is planned. When you are choosing the form of transport, there are certain aspects that must be assessed, as follows: the costs involved, the value of the goods dispatched, the urgency of dispatch, the weight and size of the goods. We want to help you choose the most suitable mode of transport for you by presenting below different modes of transport.
Water transport
Maritime trade constitutes about 90% of global trade and, according to UNCTAD, 1687 million tons were transported (this estimate was made in 2015) in an approximate number of 177.6 million containers (2015 estimate), covering over 998 billion ton-miles (2016 estimate). Taking into account the size or volume, several types of goods cannot be economically viable in any mode of transport other than the sea.
Maritime transport is a less expensive method, but its disadvantage is the transit time, which is longer. While weight and size can be a problem for air freight, these factors are not a problem for sea freight. Sea transport is used especially for the movement of bulk goods, such as coal, iron ore, agricultural products such as maize, wheat or soya. Wet bulk products (oil, petroleum, etc.) can also be transported. Larger, oddly shaped items, including engines and propellers, can also be transported this way, depending on how sensitive the delivery time is.
This type of transport is also preferred in the movement of heavy loads such as metals, minerals, steel coils, etc., which are impossible to transport by air. In addition, companies place more emphasis on the environmental impact of transport. And so, a great advantage of this type of transport is that it is considered as one that favors the environment, from an ecological point of view. The fact is that an air cargo service emits a much larger amount of polluting gases with a lower space capacity than a sea cargo.
Air transport
“Time is money!” We hear this phrase everywhere and rightly so, because time is extremely precious in any field or industry we would find ourselves. In the next 15 years, as the global GPD increases, there will be an increase in the request of goods that are worth more. According to the Boeing statistics for air transportation (in 2016-2017), there will be a proportional growth of the cost per ton of products that are commercialized in the entire world.
It is expected that, according to statistics, the world air freight traffic will undergo an annual increase of about 4.2%. Other industries, such as automotive and retail industry, also practice air freight in order to achieve their JIT provisioning (“just-in-time”). JIT option allows for retailers and lines of production to manage the order placement according to the demands and the necessary time. It offers greater flexibility and reduces warehousing costs. Air transport is used in pharmaceutical industry and perishable goods such as food or flowers, thus taking advantage of a shorter transit time.
Another positive aspect for air transport is the fact that it reduces storage costs and has greater flexibility, thus there is less handling of goods, so the probability of theft or damage is lower. The disadvantage of this method of transport is that it is among the most expensive types of transport due to the amount of fuel used and the requirements of speed. It also has its limits to size and weight. Law regulators limit what can and cannot be transported by air, so odd or very large objects may be suitable for other modes of transport.
Rail transport
Rail transport is considered to be an environmentally friendly mode of transport, since a train produces less carbon dioxide than an airplane. A train consumes a lower amount of fuel per ton-km than a road vehicle; it can have up to 100 wagons driven by a single driver. However, there are also some additional costs in a rail journey: it is required a road delivery with a pick-up cost at each end of the rail transit in order to transfer the container between the train and the road vehicle.
As a rule, longer trips are less expensive using rail transport, and shorter ones are less expensive on the road. The point of costs neutrality is governed by many factors that are specific to routes and goods, but in general the point of neutrality can be expected to be between 130 and 150 miles.
The point of costs neutrality is governed by many factors that are specific to routes and goods, but in general the point of neutrality can be expected to be between 130 and 150 miles. In 2015, the first freight train carrying ISO freight containers from China arrived in the Port of Rotterdam in 18 days, compared to the 44 normal days at sea. This movement of containerized rail freight from China to logistics hubs in Europe, such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, is seen as a significant step in the development of trade between the two continents. It encouraged multinationals such as Hewlett-Packard and Ricoh to use the route from Europe to China for their cargoes. Ricoh’s European transport manager notes that, if efficient planning can be established, the railway is a relatively fast mode of transport, lasting only 20 days to China.
In addition, traveling by rail also has some advantages, such as transporting all containers to one location at once, while being environmentally friendly because a train emits much less CO2 than an airplane.
Land transport
Road transport is among the most used types of transport. It is widely used on continents such as Europe, North America and Africa. The unique process of the customs documentation ensures a fast and smooth movement of goods, even if it takes place in different countries and states.
Șerban Trans Impex Consulting based in Arad is at your service, offering you information on the development of any type of customs activity.
Multimodal transport
Another option to remember is the option of multimodal solutions – the use of several modes of transport. Multimodal transport is a combination of different types of transport, such as rail, road and sea, which allows the customer to efficiently manage the costs of transport from start to finish, ensuring optimal care and efficiency at every step.
One such example is the trans-regional rail network combined with trucks. Vendors, including DHL, Geodis, UPS and DB Schenker, offer such a solution along China’s Silk Road network. According to UPS, this service can save up to 65% when compared to air transportation costs, while providing transit time up to 40% faster than standard ocean movements.
Șerban Trans Impex Consulting from Arad- Romania is a company specialized in the commissioning service and comes to your help in drawing up all the documents necessary for the import, export and transit transport.
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