Keys to internationalisation
Keys to internationalisation > Logistics and distribution > Transport
The mode of transport you choose will depend on the product in question, the country you are doing business with, and the strategies of the company.
The modes of transport from which to choose are:
- Air
- Road
- Rail
- Sea
- Multimodal
But the characteristics of the mode of transport itself will also affect the decision: capacity, cost, speed, and security. byGalicia will help you to choose:
| Road | Rail | Sea | Air |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Speed. | High | Medium | Low | Very High |
Cost | Medium | Medium | Low | High |
Capacity | Low | High | Very High | Low |
Security | Medium | High | High | Very High |
For all these modes of transport, carriers offer two shipping options in order to adapt to the needs of the consigners and optimise resources:
- Full loads: consist of the exclusive use of a transport unit (lorry, aircraft, or container in the case of sea transport) to ship merchandise for a single consigner. In general, full-load transport is contracted when the volume of the shipment is large relative to the cargo capacity of the mode of transport. It may also be used for goods that are urgent or that require special care, since this arrangement avoids handling and prevents delays waiting for other consigners.
- Less-than-load (LTL): Consists of gathering comparable goods from different consigners that share a common point of dispatch and destination in order to ship them in a single transport unit. It is used for small quantities of merchandise for which a full-load shipment would not be economical; payment is made based on the space occupied in the transport unit. The task of gathering comparable goods is performed by the carriers or freight forwarders.
Freight forwarders and customs brokers.
The planning of international transport and customs procedures may seem like a complicated undertaking. However, you can rely on the help of auxiliary companies specialising in these activities: freight forwarders and customs brokers that will advise and organise the transport according to needs. For more information, see the section on freight forwarders and customs brokers.Forwarding and customs agents
Incoterms.
Another important aspect of organising transport is knowing what part of transport and what responsibilities have been assumed by buyer and seller. Incoterms are a series of internationally accepted clauses that help with this task. For more information, see the section on Incoterms.
