THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN

AZERBAIJAN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT;
Transport logistics and traffic safety
Course; 3
Group; 160A2
TEACHER; Elmaddin Salayev
TELEBE. Məmmədova Çiçək
Subject.Logistics operations,logistica and intermodal
transport
 What are logistics operations?
Logistics operations is an essential part of the supply
chain and refers to the process of moving finished
goods, starting from the manufacturer and moving to
the end user. The entire 
inbound and outbound logistics process consists of
managing ecommerce inventory, and fulfilling and
shipping orders. 
  Inventory management, warehousing, and order
fulfillment all play a key role in optimizing 
ecommerce logistics. While larger companies may
have dedicated logistics directors to manage logistics
operations, smaller business owners typically handle it
themselves.  
 Why are logistics operations so important
for ecommerce?
Depending on the systems and processes you
have in place, your ecommerce supply chain
 can make or break your business. Since
ecommerce logistics has many moving parts, 
inventory management becomes a challenge
without proper ways to track 
ecommerce inventory throughout the process

You can end up with too much product, which can

lead to deadstock and high carrying costs, or have
too little, which can cause stockouts and shipping
delays. 
Without streamlined logistics operations, you will
end up with several loose ends that impact both
your profit margins and customer satisfaction. 
  Therefore, having a cost-effective,
streamlined logistics operations process
in place will help to keep logistics costs
 down, reduce risk and human error, Logistics operations: 4 key
and keep your customers happy.  processes
Logistics operations are made up of
a series of processes that work
together to optimize the supply chain
, from delivering goods from the
manufacturer to the seller, all the
way to last-mile delivery. 
 1. Suppliers and manufacturers
Obtaining raw materials is the first part of 
supply chain management, which is taken care of by
the manufacturer or supplier. A dependable
manufacturer is responsible for tracking the 
work-in-process inventory phase (i.e., the
movement of raw materials being processed into
finished goods) to make sure you get a high-quality,
sellable product on time and at the most affordable
price.
Choosing the right supplier is important;
manufacturers that are inconsistent in
delivering a quality product and/or
shipping inventory to the seller can slow
down operations from the very start.
 2. Distributed fulfillment centers
Fulfillment centers are warehouses that hold inventory
close to the end customer, so each order is picked,
packed, and shipped as soon as it’s placed to ensure the
fastest delivery possible. Many 
direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands depend on a 
third-party logistics (3PL) company that performs 
ecommerce fulfillment services. That way, they don’t
have to worry about fulfilling and shipping orders
themselves.

Another key benefit of partnering with a 3PL is the ability to 

distribute inventory across logistics centers. For instance, ShipBob is a 
retail fulfillment company that offers a robust international fulfillment
 center network that allows merchants to split inventory across locations to
be closer to their customers. This reduces shipping costs and speeds up
delivery.
 3. Warehousing
Warehousing is a key stage in the logistics
operations process that involves storing and
managing physical goods before they are sold.
There are several key parts to 
warehouse management, including the safety
and security of stored goods, inventory control
 processes that help to optimize 
inventory storage, and much more.
These crucial operational warehouse
management systems help to track where items
are located, when they arrived, and how long
they have been there.
 4. Shipping
Orders that are shipped to customers accurately and
quickly speaks to how well you run your logistics
operations. Although the execution of shipping orders to
their final destination is ultimately up to the carrier, you
can choose which shipping methods to offer your
customers (e.g., standard via ground, expedited shipping
 via air, etc) and to which locations (domestic vs. 
international shipping). You also have the option to ship
orders in-house, most often which involves standing in line
at the post office. Otherwise, you can outsource fulfillment
 to a company that has access to discounted shipping rates
from major carriers and can take care of the shipping
process (and all other logistics operations) for you.
4 logistics operations that optimize your supply
chain management
There are several ways to improve logistics operations,
and you don’t have to go at it alone. Many ecommerce
businesses rely on a logistics service provider like
ShipBob to help optimize their supply chain, from
inventory management to shipping orders. 
 Intermodal transport: efficient transport means
management
Globalisation has led to an increasing and more
complex global demand for goods and services.
The need for more efficient, economic and sustainable
logistics flows is leading to a major boom in
intermodal transport, an option that more and more
companies are opting for to transport their goods around
the world.
What is intermodal transport and what does it consist of?
Intermodal transport is the transport of goods in a single unit or
vehicle using two or more means of transport to move the load
from its origin to its destination where it is not handled when
moved from one vehicle to another.
In this type of transport, goods are grouped into sealed cargo
transport units or CTUs (containers, mobile boxes or semi-
trailers) to reduce cargo handling, therefore preventing any loss,
breakage or theft. These units also facilitate their transfer or
transhipment to the various means of transport (by road, rail, by
sea, etc.) used to reach their final destination.
 What is intermodal transport and what does it consist
of?

Intermodal transport is the transport of goods

in a single unit or vehicle using two or more
means of transport to move the load from its
origin to its destination where it is not handled
when moved from one vehicle to another.
In this type of transport, goods are grouped into
sealed cargo transport units or CTUs (containers,
mobile boxes or semi-trailers) to reduce cargo
handling, therefore preventing any loss, breakage or
theft. These units also facilitate their transfer or
transhipment to the various means of transport (by
road, rail, by sea, etc.) used to reach their final
destination.
 Intermodal transportation means moving large-sized goods in the same steel-based containers
through two or more modes of transport. It’s a typical way of moving goods in modern times. 
Intermodal transfer may involve truck, rail, ship, and then truck again. Basically, instead of
shifting goods from one vehicle to the next in their journey, intermodal transport handles these
special standardized containers instead. This process brings many benefits, such as increased safety
for the goods and faster delivery.
This mode of transportation system dates back to 18th-century Britain. The British used it to
move coal stored in containers over their canal network. But it wasn’t until the 1960s that
intermodal become the preferred choice for sea transport.
Logistics companies and international organizations made efforts to integrate the other modes
of transport through intermodalism. Later, containerization and standardizing international
container sizes made intermodal transport even more lucrative by enabling easy handling
between modal systems. Currently, intermodal transport is the dominant mode for the global
supply chain and logistics.
 How Does Intermodal Transport Work?
At the start of the intermodal transport process,
an empty truck arrives at the consignee point.
The shipper or transporter in charge loads the
goods onto the container at the back of the
truck. Most likely, nobody will handle these
goods from this point until they reach the
destination.
 The truck travels to a rail yard through the road
network. Here, the logistics company transfers the
containers onto a train. That train might transfer the
container to a railroad station in the destination city,
or it might go to a port for shipping.
The shipping company moves these containers
through the maritime network to the destination port.
People unload the container and transfer it to another
truck. 
 Or they may put it on another train for more inland transport
and then to the truck. This truck may deliver the container to
the destination modal station. The trucks used to transfer these
goods are called drayage, a service that only certain
companies provide.
What happens next? The logistics company now removes the
goods from the container. Now, the container is empty and
ready for a new load. Finally, the logistics company carries
out the last-mile delivery to the end user.
Why do companies use intermodal transport?
It allows a logistics company to benefit from
the advantages of each means of transport.
Using rail service is often cheaper for inland
transport. Shipping allows faster international
travel over long distances. And trucks are
essential for the last mile of local pickups and
deliveries.
 Pros and Cons of Using Intermodal Transport
Intermodal transport has become the backbone of the trade
and logistics industry because it offers so many benefits.
Unfortunately, because of the long distance, some problems
and situations are unavoidable. Here are some pros and cons
of using intermodal transport.
Pros
• Rapid service: By using intermodal transport, a company
can reduce delivery times. The business can use the fastest
mode of transport for long distances. Using containers also
allows an efficient transfer of goods from one mode of
transport to another. Reduced loading and unloading times
also contribute to faster delivery.
 Choosing railway mode is
Lower costs: Shippers also a good way to reduce
enjoy lower prices, along costs, as it consumes less
with low handling costs. fuel while traveling a
considerable distance.

These prices are also more

predictable. These prices are
also more predictable. Thus,
the entire intermodal transfer
is cheaper. 
• Increased capacity: Because most industries use intermodal transfer,
it’s relatively easy to achieve economies of scale and ensure increased
capacity. Companies can also use reverse logistics to fill up large
containers.
• Safety: The containers store the goods throughout the journey. They
also don’t need handling during shifting between the modes of transport.
These containers are like a warehouse and limit the risk of damage to the
goods. Thus, nobody has access to the goods while they’re in transit.
Using containers also reduces the chances of theft. Also, the container is
also always under supervision, unlike an over-the-road shipment, thus
providing the highest security for goods.