Tecnología en Gestión Logística

Actividad de Aprendizaje 6

Evidencia 5: Reading workshop: International transport

Aprendiz
Andres Felipe Hoyos C.

GESTION LOGISTICA
SERVICIO NACIONAL DE APRENDIZAJE (SENA)
Tecnología en Gestión Logística

Reading workshop: International transport

Read the article Methods of international transport taken from the website Exportiamo.it
and complete the following reading comprehension tasks:

1. Identifying key information

Based on the information presented in the article, answer the following questions:
1. What’s the articles’ main idea?

a. There are many ways to transport goods.

b. Transport is very important in international trade.
c. There are several factors companies need to consider when deciding on what type
of transport to use
d. Depending on the mode of transport, companies can be more efficient and save
money.

2. According to the article, what are some of the factors a company needs to take into
account when choosing the method of transport to deliver their goods?

a. Business type and expertise

b. Sending cost and type of goods
c. Type and value of goods, sending cost, destination, and risk of transportation
d. Weather conditions and customers’ requirements

3. What mode of transport allows companies to transport large quantities at a low cost?

a. Rail transport
b. Air transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport

4. What method of transport is more flexible in terms of routes and timetables?

a. Rail transport
b. Air transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport
Tecnología en Gestión Logística

5. What methods of transport require companies to spend more money on further

transportation costs to take goods to their final destination?

a. Rail transport and sea transport

b. Air transport and road transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport, air transport and rail transport

6. When is it necessary to complete a dangerous goods declaration?

a. When the goods are being transported to countries located in Europe, North Africa
or the Middle East.
b. When the goods are being transported by rail.
c. When the goods that are being transported have a UN dangerous goods code.
d. When the goods are being transported with no insurance.

2. Finding similar words

The following wordlist contains words from the article on methods of international
transport. For each word find a word with the same or similar meaning (synonym).

Word Synonym
Trade deal
Ensure Consolidate
Efficient Effective
Requirement Condition
Quick Fast
Risk Danger
Send Refer
Customer Buyer
Suitable Convenient
Delay Dilate
Deliver Give
Currency Money
Insurance Accurate
Tecnología en Gestión Logística

3. Find the missing words

Choose the option that better completes the following passage:

When selling freight internationally, it’s important to choose the appropriate mode
of transportation to ensure your products arrive on time and at the right cost. Your
decision to ship by land, sea, or air depends on a careful evaluation of business
cost and a support of the benefits each method affords. Picking the best possible
mode of transportation is irrelevant to export success.

a. Selling / irrelevant / ensure / decision / costs / comparison / noncritical

b. Transporting / important / ensure / decision / needs / comparison /critical
c. Transporting / irrelevant / support / comparison / needs / assessment /critical
d. Selling / relevant / ensure / decision / needs / comparison / critical

4. Summarizing ideas visually

Based on the article, make a concept map or mind map with information related to modes
of transport. Remember to complete the diagram by writing on it only main ideas and key
information from the reading passage that deals with methods of international transport.

You can use the following graphic organizer model or the one you feel more comfortable
with. Try using the resources available on the following websites:
Tecnología en Gestión Logística

INTERNTIONAL TRASNPORT

MODOS

Maritme trasnportation Railway transportation Road transportation Air transportation

Flexibility in the
Low spped of Lage mass movement of
transportation speed in High movement speed
transportation which is goods, low unit cost of
delivering high frequency Low unit cost of
tralated merchadise movement Specialized
of delivering service movement
safety. Economic rates equipment
equipment diversity.

5. Matching headings

Headings are short sentences that summarize the information in a paragraph. You have
to pick the one that best summarizes the information in the following paragraphs. Match
each paragraph in the reading text to one heading. Be careful, there are always more
headings than paragraphs.

Headings

• Legal requirements needed to carry goods by road

• Rail transport uses
• Means of transportation
• Factors that influence company’s decision on which type of transport to use
• Rail transport benefits
• Difficulties of transporting goods by rail
• International transportation of goods by road
•
Tecnología en Gestión Logística

• Paragraph 1: Means of transportation

Road, sea, rail and air are four ways of import and export. As a first step the company
has to consider all part of their project, firstly, it is important what has to be distributed
including size, weight and which type of goods. For example, for the transportation of
foods or fruits, speed is important and it’s important to choose the shortest and quickest
way. Sending cost is another element very important and depends on the agency.
Destination, countries’ law, value of goods, risk of transport are other elements to be
considered and depend on company, country of destination and customers’ requirements.
So who wants to deal with international transportation has to balance quality, cost, time
and conditions.

• Paragraph 2: Difficulties of transporting goods by rail

Risks for rail transport:

• routes and timetables available can be inflexible, especially in remote regions

• can be more expensive than road transport
• mechanical failure or industrial action can disrupt services
• further transportation may be needed from a rail depot to the final destination,
increasing costs and affecting delivery schedules
Tecnología en Gestión Logística

• Paragraph 3: Legal requirements needed to carry goods by road

The international transport of dangerous goods by road is subject to international

legislation, in particular the European Agreement on the International Carriage of
Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR). Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods must
hold an ADR training certificate in handling dangerous goods. All commercial vehicles
that carry dangerous goods must pass the ADR test, and some of them need to be built
with special standards.

• Paragraph 4: Rail transport benefits

Rail transport is a cost-effective and efficient way to move goods. It offers the following
advantages: fast rail network throughout Europe. It is environmentally friendly compared
with other transport systems.
Tecnología en Gestión Logística

6. Making comparisons

Based on the article on methods of international transport complete the following

comparison chart by listing the advantages and disadvantages of each mode of
transportation.

Air transport Maritime Road Rail transport

transport transport

- shorter - Volume and - economic. - Low

delivery time. storage pollutant.
Advantages capacity of - more direct
- security. ships. service. - Low accident
- More rate.
competitive - Allows the - Flexibility: it
freight. transport of is possible to
dangerous transport
- Coverage and goods. varieties of
insurance goods.

- limited - Tramitology. - pollutant. - Share the

capacity. - Transport a railway with
Disadvantages - Weather. smaller cargo the transport
- cost volume. of people, who
- traffic are preferred.
restrictions.
- Low speed.
- The
merchandise
can only be
transported as
far as the
roads reach.
Tecnología en Gestión Logística