Bulk Cargo Ship Research Articles

Co-benefits in carbon reduction from freight mode shifts under China’s ‘Clean Air Action’

Abstract China’s air pollution mitigation policy promotes the shift of bulk cargo transportation from roadways to railways and waterways, which might also influence carbon emissions. In this study, we developed a novel emissions assessment framework encompassing three truck types, rail, and waterways at the provincial level. Using counterfactual scenarios during the ‘Clean Air Action’ (2013–2020), we quantitatively examined the co-benefits of freight mode shifts on mitigating CO2 and air pollutant emissions. Our findings indicate that nearly 6.4 Mt of CO2 emissions in the freight sector, equivalent to 2.4% of the total anthropogenic emissions (266.8 Mt, 95% CI: 192.1-320.0) in 2020, are avoided in China. Medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks contribute the most to this reduction over different phases. Rail transportation acted as the most effective mode for simultaneous emissions mitigation. However, while co-reductions are observed in HC (hydrocarbon, 3.9 Kt), CO (carbon monoxide, 83.6 Kt), and NO x (nitrogen oxides, 158.6 Kt) emissions, PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ⩽2.5 μm) emissions increased slightly due to increased share of the waterway freight. More than 80% of provinces in China benefited from freight mode shifts in carbon reductions during the second phase (2017–2020) due to the ambitious goals. To enhance freight mode shifts’ co-benefit, attention should emphasize controlling waterway emissions, expanding railway capacity, and optimizing energy structures. These strategies will amplify policy impact on reducing air pollutant emissions from freight transport and contribute to China’s journey towards carbon neutrality.

Thermal equalization design for the battery energy storage system (BESS) of a fully electric ship

The adoption of fully electric ships represents a significant step forward in addressing the environmental challenges of climate change and pollution in the shipping industry. This research details the optimized design of a battery energy storage system (BESS) and its air-cooling thermal management system for a 2000-ton bulk cargo ship. In comparison to the conventional flow splitter (FS-I), which divides airflow into 8 transverse branches, two novel designs—FS-II (dividing airflow into 2, 4, and 8 branches) and FS-III (dividing into 2, 4, 8, and 16 longitudinal and transverse branches)—were introduced. FS-II improves flow uniformity from 0.42 (FS-I) to 0.86 but results in an increased pressure drop up to 881.47 Pa. FS-III further enhances flow uniformity to 0.97 while reducing pressure drop to 191.99 Pa. Under extreme conditions and the entire voyage cycle, the comprehensive assessment of thermal performance was conducted on three battery boxes with FS-I, FS-II, and FS-III, respectively. FS-III exhibited superior thermal regulation, maintaining Tmax consistently below 33.9 °C during the entire voyage. These findings provide valuable insights for designing thermal management systems in electric ships.

The Effect of Service Quality And Agency Skills on The Effectiveness of Sailing Time at Bulk Cargo Carrier

The length of the ship clearance process at an agency company makes a reference for each company in improving the quality of services provided and the skills of its employees. This study aims to determine the effect of service quality and skills on the effectiveness of sailing time for bulk cargo ships loaded with coal at three different agency companies on the island of Kalimantan. The method used is a quantitative approach through primary data processing on IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science) 25 which comes from 30 respondents. The results of the research proven through the t test show that service quality and skills partially have a positive and significant influence on effectiveness. Simultaneous testing with an Fcount value of 33.755> 4.20 and a sig value of 0.000 <0.05 proves that service quality and skills together have a significant influence on effectiveness. This is supported by the coefficient of determination test which states that the service quality and skills variables have an influence of 71.4%, on the effectiveness variable, while 28.6% of effectiveness is influenced by variables outside of service quality and skills not examined by the author. The conclusion in this study is that the service quality and skills variables have a positive influence on the effectiveness variable partially and simultaneously.

Insights to ballast water: metagenomics as a pressing priority

Metagenomics represents a pivotal development in genomics, offering unprecedented insights into a diverse spectrum of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that were previously challenging or impossible to study outside natural environments. Its applications span a remarkable range, from exploring cosmic entities to the depths of our oceans, incorporating numerous analyses. Yet, its utilization in the context of ballast water analysis remains scarce. This highlights the crux of the present review, which aims to showcase the need for metagenomics in ballast water analysis. As is known, ballast water is essential for maintaining ship stability under no cargo conditions or during adverse weather, with daily global movements estimated to be between 3 to 10 billion tonnes. A single bulk cargo ship can transport up to 60,000 tonnes of ballast water for a 200,000-tonne load. It is estimated that over 7,000 species are transported globally in ships' ballast water daily, posing significant ecological risks when these organisms are discharged into new environments where they can become invasive species, disrupting local ecosystems, economies, and human health. Despite the International Maritime Organization setting D-2 standard guidelines and endorsing several ballast water management practices for its safe discharge, the issue persists. This underscores the necessity of employing metagenomics to enhance the monitoring of microbial content in ballast water. The review summarizes some research conducted worldwide to analyze ballast water by metagenomics, all exhibiting diverse microbes, including potent pathogenic bacterial and viral forms. The findings support our view, making metagenomics an invaluable tool to monitor ballast water treatment effectiveness in compliance with evolving environmental regulations. Though the challenges facing metagenomic applications—namely cost, complexity, and the need for comprehensive reference databases—are significant, they will surely be surmountable considering continual technological and methodological advancements. Embracing metagenomics offers a pathway to not only address the ecological threats posed by ballast water transfers but also to safeguard the future of global shipping industries.

Simulation of Ship Berthing Operation at Luojing Container Terminal Under Extreme Sea Conditions

The Luojing Port Area of the Port of Shanghai, specifically the coal terminal and ore terminal, used to be the main port area for coal and ore bulk cargo transportation services in the Port of Shanghai.To enhance the container handling capacity at Shanghai port, this study conducted a series of simulation tests at Luojing Container Terminal. The tests were designed according to the terminal's specifications, taking into account the limit berthing wind direction and wind speed (levels 6 and 7). This study selected an appropriate representative ship type for the comprehensive simulation tests, and it thoroughly tested the berthing limits under various extreme conditions using an advanced navigation simulator. The experiment obtained the motion parameters and trajectory of the simulated ship. Based on these results, this study analyzed and evaluated the safety of the rotary waters and berthing operations, ensuring they met the safety assessment requirements for wharf engineering. The study examined the berthing time window, berthing mode, boundary conditions, and safety guarantee measures under extreme sea conditions at Luojing Container Terminal. Finally, By analyzing the berthing simulation trajectory diagrams, tugboat usage, and vessel maneuvering data under the eight extreme berthing conditions, this study formulated a safe berthing plan for ships.

THE FREIGHT FORWARDING OPERATIONS WITH BULK CARGO IMPROVEMENT

Abstract. The article considers the technology of bulk cargo transportation option by accelerated trains, based on two separate routes that allow delivering goods to the countries of the European Union by land in the West of our country and through the ports of the Black Sea coast. Approaches that allow not only to choose the best option for the bulk cargo transporting by accelerated trains technology, but also improving the vehicles use under the conditions of limited resources are considered. The rationality of measures to improve the quality of freight transportation organization is not only the economic effect from freight charges, but also the time of delivery. The analysis of the generalized economic-mathematical model of container trains, that includes the main criteria and parameters taking into account the technical equipment of the chain and the technology of transit flows, when service channels of different capacity in can exist each part of the logistic transport chain, with different costs and effects on the development of road traffic. The model of a freight container train proposed in this section improves the technology for the goods in containers transportation by the railways. During the delivery and export of goods by vehicles model development, it is necessary to take into account the fact that under present conditions, the volume of small-scale transport is almost zero. This is because they are expensive (high transport fee), have low product safety and long delivery time. Almost all of them are now transported by road, so it is not recommended to consider them as a promising direction in the further development of services for the import and export of goods. After calculating the savings from car turnover by containers acceleration, it was found that shipping containers in a block container train is much more efficient than in a block group, as cargo delivery times are faster, ranging from 8.05 to 9.08 days. We get savings from acceleration of car turnover by containers for a year within 430 - 450 thousand UAH. Economic consequences of introduction of container trains in Ukraine for 5 years of operation is 1 965 128 UAH for the route (S1) and 1 979 142 UAH for the route (S2). The proposed approaches prospect of development may be clarified by predicting the volumes of transport and the costs of components associated with the transport of goods in containers, by using stochastic modeling methods and artificial intelligence.

Rolling table centrifuge modelling of partially saturated granular material to inform on instability during solid bulk cargo transport

The response of partially saturated granular cargoes during maritime transportation has resulted in the capsize and sinking of 27 bulk carriers at sea and the loss over 90 seafarers’ lives in the last decade. The partially saturated granular material response to energy imparted during cargo loading, ship engine vibrations and vessel rolling motions from sea states causes a change in state of the granular cargo, which can lead to vessel instability and ultimately capsize. However, the mechanisms driving the response of partially saturated granular cargos within a bulk carrier hold are not well understood. This paper presents results from an experimental study of rolling table centrifuge model tests on a partially saturated silica sand to contribute to improved understanding of the response of granular cargoes during maritime transport. Observed settlement, pore pressure, moisture content and density changes during and/or following a sequence of large amplitude rolling motions are presented. The results indicate that for the conditions considered, a progressive upwards migration of pore water during rolling led to creation of a free surface of water above the granular sample that was left in a denser, lower moisture content sample compared to its initial state. Sloshing of free water on top of even a competent cargo during rolling motions of the ship can contribute to loss of ship stability and ultimately capsize.

Sustainable Rail/Road Unimodal Transportation of Bulk Cargo in Zambia: A Review of Algorithm-Based Optimization Techniques

Modern rail/road transportation systems are critical to global travel and commercial transportation. The improvement of transport systems that are needed for efficient cargo movements possesses further challenges. For instance, diesel-powered trucks and goods trains are widely used in long-haul unimodal transportation of heavy cargo in most landlocked and developing countries, a situation that leads to concerns of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide coming from diesel fuel combustion. In this context, it is critical to understand aspects such as the use of some parameters, variables and constraints in the formulation of mathematical models, optimization techniques and algorithms that directly contribute to sustainable transportation solutions. In seeking sustainable solutions to the bulk cargo long-haul transportation problems in Zambia, we conduct a systematic review of various transportation modes and related mathematical models, and optimization approaches. In this paper, we provide an updated survey of various transport models for bulk cargo and their associated optimized combinations. We identify key research challenges and notable issues to be considered for further studies in transport system optimization, especially when dealing with long-haul unimodal or single-mode heavy cargo movement in countries that are yet to implement intermodal and multimodal systems.

Improving resilience in an intermodal transport network via bulk cargo transport coordination and empty container repositioning

Commodities are usually transported in bulk and are associated with the risk of environmental pollution and cargo loss during intermodal transportation. This study discusses the containerization of bulk cargo with the coordination of bulk cargo transport and empty container repositioning. In such a transport network, a bulk cargo transportation company can use empty containers to load and deliver bulk cargo. We proposed models to analyze the optimal decisions regarding the number of leased empty containers under uncertain demand. We discussed three business modes to demonstrate the financial and resilience performance of bulk cargo containerization and supply chain coordination. Our results show that the trip-sharing mode can significantly increase the amount of bulk cargo containerization by reducing the transportation cost of empty containers that need to be repositioned. This model can help bulk cargo logistics companies determine the optimal number of released containers by considering profits and risk control. This study also sheds light on ways to promote supply chain resilience by incentivizing containerization and trip sharing.

ВПЛИВ ШВИДКОСТІ ТРАНСПОРТУВАННЯ ВАНТАЖУ СТРІЧКОВИМ КОНВЕЄРОМ НА ПИТОМЕ ЕНЕРГОСПОЖИВАННЯ НА КОНВЕЄРНОМУ ТРАНСПОРТІ

The method of work is significant to the nature and approximation of the empirical supply of feedstock energy consumption for the transport of dry waste by a string conveyor, which operates in the drains of the DolzhanskaKapitalna mine, due to the speed of transport of waste. Significant energy consumption for transporting goods is an unknown warehouse assessment of the technical level of the stitch conveyor, which is a current scientific and practical requirement. The article examines the non-linear nature of the dependence of weighted average specific energy consumption for the transportation of bulk cargo by a mine belt conveyor on the speed of cargo transportation. The function of the weighted average specific energy consumption for the transportation of bulk cargo by a belt conveyor is obtained in a theoretical way using the method of technological calculation of a mine belt conveyor. The influence of the unevenness of the cargo flow on the conveyor on the formation of weighted average specific energy consumption was carried out empirically using the results of studies of the cargo flow and the power consumption of the belt conveyor of the "Dolzhanska-Capitalna" mine, conducted in 2011 by the "Dongiprovuglemash" institute. Using the method of least squares, empirical coefficients of the approximated dependence of the weighted average specific energy consumption for the transportation of bulk cargo by a belt conveyor of a mining enterprise on the speed of cargo transportation, which has the form of a square trinomial, were obtained. The results of the work can be determined by designing the conveyor transport of mining enterprises, determining the energy intensity and technical level of the mine stitch conveyor, and clarifying the nature of the mechanical characteristics of the stitch conveyor

РАЗРАБОТКА УСТАНОВКИ ДЛЯ ИНАКТИВАЦИИ ЗЕРНА СОИ УЛЬТРАЗВУКОМ

The article considers the theory of the issue of designing an ultrasonic screw plant for processing soybean grain. The authors proposed a device based on a screw mechanism that allows the transportation of bulk cargo in the form of a liquid suspension, ultrasonic treatment, liquid withdrawal and extraction. Ultrasonic processing technology allows accelerating mass transfer processes of inactivation of anti-nutritional sub-stances that reduce the digestibility of protein of leguminous crops. The proposed design of the plant allows intensive processing of grain in the working area and squeezing the suspension to the required parameters. The case has a perforated partition for the first spin, a conical narrowing of the case for the second spin. The time of exposure to the processed suspension is set by changing the angle of the housing and the rotation fre-quency of the screw. In order to intensify the process of ultrasonic grain processing, part of the installation body is equipped with a cable heater that allows increasing the temperature to the required parameters. The installation body is fixed on two racks: fixed and adjustable, with which the angle of inclination of the instal-lation body is adjusted (from 150 to 450). The ultrasonic unit can also be used for washing and disinfection of grain, oilseeds or intensive humidification.

Experimental study of multi-buoy-assisted moored ship motion at open berth

Cable breaking and fender failure are frequently reported for the traditional moored ship at open berths. An effective mooring system is necessary to optimize the distribution of cable tension and reduce the impact force acting on the fender. In this paper, a multi-buoy-assisted mooring system is proposed to improve the safety performance of the moored ship. Based on the traditional mooring system, two or four buoys are added in the offshore direction of the ship and connected to the ship with the additional mooring lines. Physical model tests of a 180,000-dwt bulk cargo ship are carried out with the different mooring conditions. The cable tensions, the fender reaction forces and the corresponding ship motions in six degrees of freedom are measured under the different mooring conditions. By adjusting the number of buoys and the pretension of the buoy-assisted mooring lines, an effective mooring system for the tested ship is developed. The experimental results indicate that the developed mooring system can effectively prevent the cable breakage and the fender damage under the present test conditions. In addition, although the motion amplitude of the multi-buoy-assisted moored ship increases slightly, the motion velocity of the ship is considerably small, and the influence is limited for the load and unload operations of the bulk cargo ship.

Identification and analysis of ship waiting behavior outside the port based on AIS data

Port congestion caused by ship detention is an important reason for the obstruction of the shipping supply chain. In this paper, a method of excavating the ship waiting behavior outside the port is proposed based on the automatic identification system (AIS) data and considering uncontrollable factors. Firstly, combined with the analysis of ship navigation behavior, the speed threshold of the ship waiting outside the port is defined through average speed. Secondly, the range of ships berthing in the port is distinguished, and the different waiting behavior of ships are clarified. Finally, the situation of different types and sizes of ships waiting outside the port is analyzed. The paper found that ships of different types and sizes have distinctive clustered waiting behavior, and there are significant differences in waiting time. At the ship type, bulk cargo ship have the highest number among ships waiting outside the port, followed by tanker and container ship; at the ship scale, basically, the number of ships waiting outside the port decreases with the increase of the scale, but the average waiting time is longer. It has an excellent practical promotion value for the application of AIS data and development of shipping.

ЗМЕНШЕННЯ АМПЛІТУД НАВАНТАЖЕНЬ НА ПРИВОД ШАХТНОГО ГОРИЗОНТАЛЬНОГО СТРІЧКОВОГО КОНВЕЄРА КОРИГУВАННЯМ ЙОГО ТРАСИ ТРАНСПОРТУВАННЯ

The article examines the nature of the dependence of the amplitudes that arise on the drive of a mine belt conveyor from changes in the belt load, from the angle of transportation, as well as technological parameters of transportation and design parameters of the drive and the mechanical part of the conveyor. These amplitudes have a significantly affect to the resource of the mechanical and electrical parts of the conveyor, in particular: the conveyor belt, reducer, electric motor, etc. A mathematical model of the load amplitude formation on the elements of the mechanical and electrical parts of the belt conveyor drive due to the fluctuation of the belt load has been developed. The nonlinear nature of the amplitudes’dependence that arise on the mine belt conveyor drive from the variable load of the belt and from the angle of transportation has been established. Graphically and analytically, the characteristic angle of installation of the belt conveyor is determined, at which the moment of resistance does not depend on the belt load and will remain constant under the existing fluctuations in the amount of the mass of the cargo on the conveyor belt. Mining technical conditions that correspond to the transportation of bulk cargo by a belt conveyor at the installation angle described above are recommended as rational from the point of view of minimizing the amplitudes of loads on the conveyor drive, which is expected to increase the conveyor's resource and its reliability in general. The functioning of conveyors with minimum load amplitudes by the mechanical and electrical part of their drive corresponds to the operating conditions of horizontal and slightly inclined conveyors with the value of the angle transportation of the cargo down. The modulus of this angle is equal to the arctangent of the tape motion resistance coefficient.

Contour shape optimization of the submerged intercrossing water obstacles

The submerged floating tunnel (also SFT from the English Submerged Floating Tunnel) is an innovative solution for crossing large water areas with significant depths. The structure has a number of advantages compared to traditional solutions, such as cable-stayed and suspension bridges, an underwater tunnel made of immersed tubes, as well as a traditional tunnel. The main advantages are the ability to cross water obstacles with depths significantly exceeding the record values for bridges (60 m), as well as compensation of loads from its own weight by Archimedean force to ensure positive buoyancy. At the moment, not a single project has been implemented due to serious scientific problems, but the concept is attracting the attention of researchers from different countries, since the need for such structures will increase due to the need to reduce the time of transportation of bulk cargo on transcontinental routes. During operation, SFT structures are subject to various types of influences, including the effect of currents on the tunnel stiffening girder. Thus, the SFT contour shape has a key effect on the nature of the tunnel interaction with the current and determines the external forces that arise (drag force FD and ascending forces FL). The optimal SFT contour shape from the view point of interaction with the current allows one to predetermine the favorable operation of the structure under given conditions. In this article, the current impact on the SFT stiffening girder was assessed using a software package and the girder shape was optimized using gradient optimization capabilities. The article is part of the author’s dissertation research.

Justification of the optimal option and transportation parameters for export supplies using marine transport

The object of this research is transport provision of supplies using sea transport. The problem of increasing the efficiency of transportation of bulk cargo by bulk carriers or universal destination by optimizing the option and parameters of transport equipment is considered. For categories of goods that are exported using sea transport, it is possible to use not only different options for transport equipment – own or leased (for vessels – time charter), but also different options from the point of view of the parameters of the vehicles. In this paper, the parameters are understood as the characteristics of sea vessels, on which the main economic indicators depend – deadweight, which reflects the size of the vessel and its carrying capacity for bulk carriers; as well as the age of the courts, which determines the cost of their rent and the level of operational costs. The result of the research is an optimization model that allows to determine for each market a variant of transport equipment and its parameters. Model not only distributes deliveries according to transport options, but also determines which vessels of what size and age (for time charter) should carry out transportation. These results are focused on the exporter's decision-making process about sales markets in combination with decisions on transport provision before concluding contracts. Varying the size and age of the vessels makes it possible to consider a wider range of options from the point of view of parameters. The practical use of the model allows the exporter at the stage of preparation (before the conclusion of contracts) depending on the volume of supplies and the market situation, including the freight one, to make decisions about options for transport support, which is taken into account when formulating transport conditions of contracts. Integral consideration of commercial (volumes of deliveries, transport terms of contracts), economic (price levels, freight rates, costs) and technological (size of vessels and their age) factors within the framework of the model allows taking into account the multifaceted nature of the problem of transport provision.

Will China complete the 4.79-billion-ton railway freight transportation goal: An incremental potential research from the supply side

In 2018, China's State Council proposed a 30% increase in railway freight volume (RFV) to 4.79 billion tons in 2020 over 2017. Subsequently, more than 30 provinces and cities in China have issued corresponding transportation structure adjustment plans, but the completion of this task has not been very smooth. The growth rate in 2019 is slower than that in 2018, and the incremental task in 2020 still remains 42.7%. China's railway freight transportation capacity (RFTC) used to be in short supply for a long time, which has only eased in recent years. In order to explore the adaptation of China's current RFTC and incremental targets, and fully tap RFTC potential to formulate reasonable freight increment policies in the future, this article combines the simultaneous production and consumption feature of transportation sector and SBM-GRS (slack based measure-general returns to scale) data envelopment analysis to measure China's RFTC surplus space. The study found that from the supply side the incremental potential of China's railway freight turnover (RFT) is greater than that of RFV, which is caused by the imbalance of regional railway freight transportation. If the current RFV goal was replaced by RFT, RFTC input would save about 3%. This article suggests that China's future railway freight increment policy should take into account the regional imbalance of bulk cargo transportation, pay more attention to the growth of RFT, actively take advantage of railway container long-distance transportation, and make full use of overall RFTC.

Evaluating the pressure generated on the container’s bottom and walls while transporting bulk cargo

Now, the transportation of bulk cargo by rail is carried out with the help of specialized wagons. However, the use of such wagons leads to additional costs, there is a shortage of such wagons, as well as problems with technological equipment. In this regard, there is a need to find alternative technologies for the transportation of bulk cargo, which will reduce logistics costs and improve delivery. To solve this problem, it is necessary to start by determining the pressures that arise on the bottom and walls of the universal container when loading bulk cargo. This study shows that the problems associated with the transportation of bulk cargo can be successfully solved if the process of formation of such cargo is known. Thus, to solve the problem of bulk cargo transportation, it is necessary to develop alternative technologies that will reduce costs and improve delivery efficiency. This is possible if we study the process of forming bulk cargoes and analyze the pressures they create in containers.

Model of flow transportation of bulk cargo by vertical screw conveyors

The article considers the model of transporting bulk cargo by flow by vertical high-speed screw conveyors. The peculiarities of mutual movement of cohesive and fine cargoes, in particular, in the conditions of their layer-by-layer movement, are revealed. To analyze the stress-strain state of bulk cargo in the conditions of screw conveying, a special helical coordinate system was used, which made it possible to significantly simplify the solution of the problem. The dependences for describing the shape of the helical surface that restricts the flow of cargo under the condition of incomplete filling of the working space, the volume of the elementary sector of the flow and its center of gravity are derived. The use of the model of layer-by-layer material motion is substantiated, and the distribution of linear and angular velocities of particles in the flow and, accordingly, centrifugal forces is determined. It is shown that for vertical high-speed conveyors, the motion of the flow as a whole and its individual particles retains the laws of helical transporting, which makes it possible to use the model of a material particle with the given parameters to calculate the design and operating modes of the conveyor.

Multimodal transportation network with cargo containerization technology: Advantages and challenges

Traditional multimodal transportation dispatching of roads, railways, and maritime has been studied for years. This study investigates a bulk cargo distribution problem in a multimodal transportation network considering both the transportation modes of inland waterways and containerization technology. First, we qualitatively discuss the advantages and challenges of transportation using cargo containerization technology from the aspects of transportation cost, time-saving, pollutant emission reduction, and customer preference. Second, a mixed-integer linear programming model is developed, wherein the influence of bridge heights on transportation is considered. The model is validated based on near-practice numerical experiments, and we can obtain the optimal transportation scenario by solving the model, including transportation mode selection, vehicle routing, depot selection, and cargo quantity for containerization. Third, we conduct numerical experiments based on the multimodal transportation network of the Yangtze River in China to discuss the performance of multimodal transportation with containerization technology considerations. The results show that containerization transportation can decrease the total transportation costs for logistics companies under certain parameter configurations. The model and experiments are then extended by considering pollutant emission reductions and time savings, respectively. We uncover the performance of containerization technology by analyzing the Pareto fronts of this technology and traditional bulk cargo transportation. This study elucidates the decision making of logistics companies and government policymaking.