Course Description

This course covers the inter-relationship between all modes of transport used in international trade, taken into consideration that because the majority of all international cargo transport includes a sea movement leg, the focus of the course is on logistics and multi-modal transport involving maritime transport on at least one leg. It is assumed that the systems used for supply chain management, associated logistics and inventory control are all computer based, and that you are familiar with the fundamentals of the Internet and basic e-commerce.

Course Goal

To enhance the participants’ knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to understand inter-relationship between all modes of transport used in international trade 

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

1. Understand the importance of distribution in international trade and how basic distribution structures meet international and national needs.
2. Understand the use of the word ’logistics’.
3. Be aware of the evolution of the global economy in the last quarter of the 20th century.
4. Understand the supply chain concept and how the different transport modes may be combined.
5. Understand the importance of modal interfaces.
6. Be aware of the basic intermodal systems.
7. Understand the importance of inventory control in operating systems.
8. Understand the characteristics of the main types of primary vehicles and equipment used.
9. Understand the main variant types of special equipment and facilities used to enhance through transport.
10. Understand the structural needs and layout of modal interfaces and terminals.
11. Understand the importance of main trade routes.
12. Understand the relationship between commodities, value, and transit time and transport mode.
13. Understand the economic political and environmental factors.
14. Understand various types of operators involved in multimodal transportation and the type of service structure they offer.
15. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of public versus private sector ownership.
16. Understand the options of internal service provision or outsourcing, the advantages and disadvantages.
17. Understand the nature of price competition between transport modes.
18. Understand price measurements.
19. Understand the relationship between price and demand.
20. Be familiar with the importance of revenue and cash flow.
21. Understand different pricing strategies and how price discrimination is used.
22. Understand the use of distribution and carrier service contracts.
23. Understand the use of the word ’inventory’ in the context of ’the goods’ and the importance of inventory management.
24. Understand modern concepts in inventory management.
25. Understand methods of payment in the sale of goods.
26. Understand the different types of contracts in the sale of goods including INCOTERMS.
27. Understand the paramount importance of documents.
28. Understand the practical impact of the Hague/Hague-Visby and Hamburg Rules, and the differences between them.
29.  Understand the principles of IMO regulations.
30. Understand the application of European Agreement concerning the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) or similar legislation elsewhere.
31. Be aware of the conventions covering the movement of dangerous goods by air.
32. Understand the impact of national and international regulations.
33. Understand the concept of Customs Unions, free trade areas and the role of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
34. Be aware of some major free trade areas.
35. Be aware of statutory competition control including Federal Maritime Commission (USA) and Competition Directorate (EU).
36. Understand the implementation and purpose of the ISPS Code.
37. Understand the difference between marketing and sales and the importance of both in the multimodal transport field.
38. Understand the use of market research and how this can be used in applying marketing techniques.
39. Be aware of different types of sales systems and understand the role of field sales and call centers.
40. Understand how customer service levels can be measured and how this relates to the use of quality assurance.
41. Understand the role of quality management and the use of benchmarking.
42. Understand the importance of the role of e-commerce in multimodal transport and in meeting customers’ perceived needs for supply chain information and transparency.

Course Outline

• International Distribution

1. The Importance of Distribution in International Trade
2. How Basic Distribution Structures Meet International and National Needs.
3. The ’Logistics’ Concept..
4. The Evolution of the Global Economy in the Last Quarter of the 20th Century.
5. Supply Chain Concept and How the Different Transport Modes May be combined.
6. The Importance of Modal Interfaces and the Basic Function of Ports, Airports, Inland Depots, Railheads etc.
7. Intermodal Systems.
8. The importance of inventory control in operating systems.

• Physical Operation

1. Types of Primary Vehicles and Equipment Used: Ships, Trucks, Trains and Aircraft.
2. Types of Special Equipment and Facilities Used to Enhance Through Transport.
3. The Structural Needs and Layout of Modal Interfaces and Terminals.

• Trade Routes

1. The Importance of Main Trade Routes.
2. Commodities, Value, and Transit Time and Transport Mode.
3. Economic Political and Environmental Factors.
4. Air Freight: Its Advantages and its Limitations.
5. Road Haulage and the Difference between International, Domestic Trunk and Local Delivery.

• The Practitioners

1. Types of Operators Involved in Multimodal Transportation and the Type of Service Structure they Offer.
2. Service Overlap and Competition Among the Operators.
3. Internal Service Provision or Outsourcing.
4. Through Transport Pricing
5. Price Competition between Transport Modes.
6. Price Measurements.
7. Price and Demand.
8. Revenue and Cash Flow.
9. Pricing Strategies.
10. The Concept of Price Transparency.
11. Price Discrimination.
12. Distribution and Carrier Service Contracts.

• Inventory Management

1. Control Inventory Costs.
2. Just In Time’ Delivery, and its Advantages and Disadvantages.
3. Supply Chain Management and Inventory Optimization.
4. Supply Chain and Distribution Management Systems.
5. Distribution Networks.

• Sale Contracts and Documentation

1. Methods of Payment in the Sale of Goods.
2. Documentary Credits and ICC Uniform Custom and Practice on Transport Documentation.
3. Types of Contracts in the Sale of Goods Including INCOTERMS.
4. Bills of Lading in Through Transport.
5. Letters of Indemnity: Their Misuse and the Avoidance of Fraud.
6. Bills of Lading, Waybills and Consignment Notes.
7. Other Transport Documentation Including Booking Notes.

• Conventions Relating to Multi-Modal Transport

1. The Practical Impact of the Hague/Hague-Visby and Hamburg Rules, and the Differences between them.
2. The Rules for Combined Transport Including UNCTAD/ CC.
3. Surface Transport Rules (CMR, CIM, TIR).
4. Warsaw Convention and Hague Protocol for Air Transport.
5. Principles of IMO Regulations Concerning Dangerous and Polluting Cargoes.
6. European Agreement Concerning the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) or Similar Legislation Elsewhere.
7. Movement of Dangerous Goods by Air.

• Regulation

1. The Impact of National and International Regulations.
2. Customs Unions, Free Trade Areas and the Role of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
3. Statutory Competition Control: Federal Maritime Commission (USA) and Competition Directorate (EU).
4. The Implementation and Purpose of the ISPS Code.

• Sales and Marketing

1. Marketing and Sales
2. The Importance of Both in the Multimodal Transport Field.
3. Market Research Techniques.
4. Types of Sales Systems.
5. How Customer Service Levels can be Measured and how This Relates to the Use of Quality Assurance.
6. Quality Management and Benchmarking.
7. E-Commerce and its Importance in Multimodal Transport and in Meeting Customers’ Perceived Needs for supply Chain Information and Transparency.