freight transport

Society

2022

We explain what freight transport is, its history, types and characteristics. Also, its advantages, disadvantages and examples.

Freight transportation is a common activity in the global economy.

What is freight forwarding?

Freight transport is the type of transport in charge of moving goods and merchandise from one place of origin to another of destination, in such a way that they reach their destination in good condition and within a period of weather preset concrete.

These are generally large shipments of heavy, valuable or bulky materials, the transfer of which requires special conditions. In this it differs from passenger transport.

Freight transportation is one of the most common activities within the economy contemporary globalized, employing ground vehicles, air Y Water, in simple or combined modalities (multimodal). All this both in a supplier-client sense, as well as a client-supplier.

History of freight transport

The exchange of merchandise between nations, even those that were at great distances from each other, is as old as the humanity herself. At first this transport was carried out by using beasts of burden, that is, donkeys, camels or others. animals that supported the weight of the merchandise on its back.

The disadvantage of transport "by blood" was that it allowed small quantities to be transported at a time, thus making it necessary to have long lines of animals. In the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution brought new forms of transportation that made this type of exchange easier, thanks to the machine of steam.

The steam engine was used in the two most revolutionary inventions in the field: the railroad and the steamship, which shortened the distances within and outside the nations in a very significant way. Thus began a wide range of commercial international transportation services.

Characteristics of cargo transportation

Freight transport differs from other forms of transport, such as passenger transport, in that it transports goods, generally bulky or numerous.

Therefore, it requires large spaces (such as vaults or containers), and not comfortable or aesthetic facilities (as occurs with passenger transport). In this way they are usually transported raw Materials, vehicles and tools, machinery parts, chemical compounds or even products of consumption.

Types of cargo transportation

Shipping is slow but can carry large volumes of goods.

Freight transport can take place in four different ways:

  • Marine transport. As its name indicates, it is carried out using maritime vehicles, that is, navigating the sea: cargo ships and other similar vessels.
  • Road transport. It refers to the use of land vehicles such as trucks and wheeled transporters, capable of going from one point to another in a country or a region. region as long as there are passable roads. These trucks can be unit, trailer or tractor.
  • Rail transport. In this case, it refers to transport by the various types of existing train, that is, a land transport that does not involve roads but tracks. Trains can reach high speeds and travel long distances, as long as there are railways laid out at their destination.
  • Air Transport. As its name indicates, in this case, aerial vehicles are used, that is, the different types of cargo aircraft that exist in operation. In this case, the amount of transportable material, however, is noticeably less than in the rest of the previous types.

Advantages of cargo transportation

The advantages of freight transport have to do with its ability to move large loads of goods over great distances: a much more service efficient, economic and direct than through small vehicles on numerous trips.

Cargo vehicles not only have a large storage capacity, but also a greater storage capacity. fuel. Thus, they can undertake long and sustained trips with less need to refuel.

Disadvantages of freight transport

Although cargo transportation is ideal for moving merchandise, it is not convenient when it comes to transporting people, minimal goods or other types of cargo.

More than anything because their facilities are not comfortable and, being large, they are not profitable for the shipment of a few goods. In addition, large merchandise transporters are cumbersome, difficult to maneuver and polluting, which is why they deserve constant spare parts and revisions.

Examples of cargo transportation

Trucks can carry more than one loaded trailer.

Some examples of cargo transportation are:

  • Fuel tankers or Petroleum, usually from oil or petrochemical corporations.
  • The army of trucks of merchandise or raw material, that cross the freeways of the United States communicating the east coast and the west coast.
  • The Hercules cargo planes used by some armies to transport soldiers and combat vehicles from a region to another.
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