This article analyses the choice between different transport modes, based on the concept of total logistics costs. Not only the cost of transportation itself is considered, but also all the other costs that arise in the supply chain, such as the costs of goods handling, the costs of inventory carrying, etc. In the case-study, a comparison is made between rail transport, inland navigation and road haulage for a volume of 80.000 tonnes of bulk goods per year. Both rail transport and inland navigation require precarriage and/or oncarriage by truck, as well as goods handling. This increases the transport costs of both modes considerably. As a result, road haulage turns out to be the cheapest transport mode from the viewpoint of the total logistics costs. However, when a larger ship type can be deployed than the one currently used, the balance appears to turn in favour of inland navigation. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting