International Freight Research Articles

Concept for the Developmen of the North-South International Transport Corridor

The development of the international transport corridor plays a special role in the development of the transport system. Russian special economic zones do not form an integrated network; they can be characterized as separate isolated innovation-oriented elements in the economic space of the low-tech Russian economy. Research in the field of expanding the theoretical apparatus on the above issues has shown that the general understanding of the term “international transport system” includes a set of elements that provide significant international freight and passenger traffic between separate geographical areas, includes rolling stock and stationary devices of all modes of transport working in this direction, as well as a set of technological, organizational and legal conditions for the implementation of these transportation. As part of the study, the analysis of three options for the route of the international transport corridor “North-South” is proposed: transportation of goods by rail, western branch, eastern branch. Based on the results of the study, it is determined that the creation, development and operation of a free economic zone of a port type will create an impetus for the high-quality and efficient port infrastructure that will meet international standards and be one of the factors for attracting freight carriers.

A business model and cost analysis of automated platoon vehicles assisted by the Internet of things

Platoon services are being driven by the development of Internet of things, prompting changes in existing businesses and the generation of new businesses. In this paper, a business model and business model canvas related to platoon services are proposed, and the cost analysis of heavy freight transport platoon services from the perspective of platoon leaders and followers is conducted. In addition, the fuel consumption saving brought about by platoon services in freight transport of 28 European Union countries is estimated. The results indicate that the providers of the autonomous driving package, Internet of things devices and the platoon service platform are new stakeholders in the business model. The business model canvas shows the value propositions of platoon services, such as increased traffic efficiency, decreased energy consumption, and the opportunity of involvement in other activities. In addition, the analysis of cost structures for platoon leaders and followers shows that the autonomous driving package has the highest percentage of cost in the first year of a vehicle’s lifespan and decreases rapidly in the years that follow. The platoon services ease the financial burden of the leaders due to decreased fuel consumption and income from the leading service, with the highest value up to 4.7%. As for the fuel consumption reductions benefited from platoon services, Germany may have the largest potential of national annual fuel saving, followed by France, Spain and the United Kingdom, while the countries that may benefit the most from fuel savings in international freight transport are Poland and Spain.

EFFECT OF GREEN LOGISTICS PRACTICES AND SOCIAL PERFORMANCE ON PERFORMANCE OF LOGISTICS FIRMS IN KENYA

Emissions from logistics industry are rising at a greater concern than any other industry and the trend is expected to continue such that by 2030 these levels will be 80% higher than present levels unless there is a change. Environmental concerns have become essential for organizations given the current context of globalization. Many firms aim at reducing cost and they need to strike a balance between economic, social and ecological factors for sustainability. Taking measures regarding environmental concerns in a socially responsible way is becoming an important part of the modern organization agenda. This study focused on establishing the effect of green logistics practices and social performance on the performance of logistics firms operating in Kenya. The study was guided by the philosophy of positivism research. The cross-sectional survey research design was employed. The population of interest consisted of all the 892 logistics firms in Kenya which were registered under Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA) as at December 2018 (KIFWA, 2018) from which a sample size of 300 respondents was drawn. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM). The study established that there is a significant positive relationship between the implementation of green logistics practices and firm performance of logistics firms in Kenya. The mediating effect of social performance on the relationship between green logistics practices and firm performance was found to be positive and significant. It was recommended that logistics firms in Kenya should implement environmentally sound practices in all phases of their operations and the larger supply chain, beginning with practices like green packaging, fuel efficiency, optimization of routes, carbon emission measurement and reverse logistics.

Surveillance for exotic fruit fly of the subfamily Dacinae (Insecta, Diptera, Tephrididae) and a review of the Dacinae established in Sydney, Australia, between 2010 and 2019

ABSTRACT Sydney has a high plant biosecurity risk due to the volume of international freight and postal items. Additionally, a high number of tourists enter Australia through Sydney. In 1995, an array of fruit fly surveillance traps was established to monitor for exotic fruit fly incursions. Here, the number of detections of the fruit fly subfamily Dacinae (Insecta, Diptera, Tephrididae) was reviewed for the period between 2010 and 2019. The results revealed that no exotic fruit flies were detected during this period. However, many established species were detected and species present were placed into international standards. Bactrocera tryoni, B. cacuminatra, Dacus absonifacies, and D. aequalis were classified as established due to a large number of specimens trapped. Sydney was likely to be an area of low pest prevalence for B. neohumeralis in some years and pest free in other years. Low numbers of B. bancrofti, B. brunnea, B. jarvisi, and B. mayi were trapped, and Sydney was likely to be classified free from these species based on international standards. Also, trapping records indicated that Sydney was free from D. newmani however this species was known to occur in inland NSW. Bactrocera bryoniae and B. endiandrae were likely to be incursions that did not establish in most years.

ISSUES ON THE LOGISTICS CHALLENGES IN THE PANDEMIC PERIOD

The newly spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) has placed the entire world in an unprecedented situation. Every country is fighting hard to slow down the spread of the disease and mitigate its impacts at the lowest level, country to country travelling is being monitored and strict rulings imposed, most of the inland cross-borders are being closed. The Covid-19 pandemic outbreak is first and foremost a human tragedy in history, it has affecting hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. Indirectly, It is also having a growing impact on the global economy. Regulations prohibit passenger embarkation and disembarkation at all gateways regardless of land, air or seas except under certain circumstances. Numerous transport hubs are being affected badly. Seaports are being closed on the daily basis around the world and numbers of ships has been denied entry are on the rise. This pandemic has causes a tremendous impact at the entire logistics sector, where Malaysia is not spared either, with 14 days “lockdown” on movement restrictions commencing 18th – 31stMarch, 2020.From March 18th (midnight) and for 14 days, the Malaysian government declared a national lockdown. All Malaysian are given permission to go out only for medical emergencies assistance, food or groceries need to purchase on the daily basis with time restriction given, thus, allowed or for certain catergorised work with standard operating procedures of social distancing are advised. The numbers of staff in office are restricted or with limited numbers allocated. The National public transportation system need substantially reducing the ridership, as for freight transportation, it is not affected by the measures. International freight transport is guaranteed and can be operated, but only transportation of all life essential goods could be prioritised. The second strict hen Movement Control Order (MCO) was announced on the 25thMarch 2020, another 14 days extended till the 14thApril, 2020, due to the Government rates expectation numbers of patients curves has not been flatten. Tighter rulings were enforced with solely one driver is allowed to perform on their domestic’s duties. This paper will solely focus on the logistics movement based on collective data and findings via the logistics industry players at the beginning stage of Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, it presents an exploratory study and gives the basis for more research on cooperation, coordination and collaboration between Malaysian logistics industry players and civilian enforcement agencies in humanitarian operations. The paper also written to be a research agenda for all researchers and academicians.

Creation of a network of transport and logistics centers - a perspective way to develop a transport and logistics system of ukraine

The Ukrainian market of international freight transportation has considerable unrealized potential, therefore it is necessary to identify mechanisms for improving the efficiency of functioning of the transport system of Ukraine and its integration into the international transport system.  One of the priority areas for the development of the Ukrainian transport industry is its integration into the world and European transport and logistics systems.  This can be achieved by developing the country's transport and logistics infrastructure and creating a network of modern transport and logistics centers.  Transport and logistics centers, as objects of transport and logistics infrastructure, have emerged due to the spread of integration processes in the economies of countries and have become an integral part of transport and logistics systems.  The transport and logistics center is a complex system that includes several subsystems, integrated by integration links, through which it is able to perform logistic functions. The article provides an analytical overview of the transit potential of Ukraine and the country's transport and logistics system in the global environment, examines the world experience of creating and operating transport and logistics centers as elements of the transport and logistics system, and gives attention to the peculiarities of functioning of logistics centers in developed countries. The main characteristics of the transport and logistics center, its place in the transport and logistics system and the goals of operation are determined.

RESEARCH ON THE NEED FOR THE TIR TRANSIT SYSTEM IN LITHUANIAN COMPANIES

This scientific article will introduce the concept of the TIR Convention of 1975. Considering the favourable geographical position for transit cargo transportation in Lithuania, the development of logistics areas, potential obstacles and improvements have great importance. The article provides an overview of the basic provisions, the elements of the TIR system, the aims and benefits of this Convention for transport companies. Also, after analysing the results of interviews with various Lithuanian transport companies, there is an investigation of the need for a TIR transit system and the issue raised: whether a system of international freight transportation with TIR carnets is needed today.

Оценка масштабов барьеров для экспорта, сосредоточенных на разных участках границы ЕАЭС (Estimation of the Scale of Export Barriers Concentrated on Different Parts of the EAEU Border)

Russian Abstract: Основу используемых данных составляют детализированные данные таможенной статистики России. Эмпирическая модель для оценки уровня барьеров для экспорта на таможенной границе РФ может быть получена на основе простейшей теоретической модели выбора маршрута международным перевозчиком грузов. Проведенное исследование продемонстрировало, что временные издержки влияют на потоки торговли не только через увеличение транспортных издержек, но и напрямую, снижая ценность сделки для продавца и/или покупателя. Масштабы этих эффектов сопоставимы, но для потребительских товаров можно отметить относительно больший вклад прямой составляющей. В свою очередь, это указывает на то, что вообще говоря вклад временной составляющей в торговые издержки между двумя странами зависит в том числе и от структуры торговли. English Abstract: The basis of the data used is the detailed data of the customs statistics of Russia. An empirical model for assessing the level of barriers to export at the customs border of the Russian Federation can be obtained on the basis of the simplest theoretical model of route selection by an international freight carrier. The study showed that time costs affect the flow of trade not only through an increase in transport costs, but also directly, reducing the value of the transaction for the seller and / or buyer. The magnitude of these effects is comparable, but for consumer goods, a relatively greater contribution of the direct component can be noted. In turn, this indicates that, generally speaking, the contribution of the time component to trade costs between the two countries depends, inter alia, on the structure of trade.

Important issues of international economic activity of Ukrainian cargo carriers under european integration

Introduction. The development of Ukraine’s transport sector, in particular auto carriage of cargoes, is a necessary prerequisite for strengthening its competitive position in foreign, especially European, markets. Finding ways to solve the problems of domestic enterprises providing freight transportation services, generated by factors of internal and external environment, in the context of European integration is of particular relevance. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to study the conditions of international economic activity of domestic haulage carriers in the European markets and to identify opportunities to strengthen their competitive position and remove technical barriers.Methods. The research was carried out by using such methods as: analysis and synthesis to identify problems of functioning the domestic transportation system and to formulate the concept of its strengthening; comparative analysis, including elements of the methodology for determining the Logistics Efficiency Index, and to study the logistics industry in Ukraine and identify technical barriers to European integration in the industry; tabular and visual methods for visual presentation of material. Results. The article identifies trends in the development of transport services in the EU and Ukraine and highlights the problems of the domestic freight transportation industry. It is stated that despite favorable conditions, in particular geopolitical, the potential of the transport sector of Ukraine in foreign markets is not fully used. The existing regulatory framework for the implementation of international freight auto transport is characterized, and its formal sufficiency is ascertained. Based on the analysis of the Logistics Efficiency Index, a comparison of the level of logistics development in Ukraine and its main partners in road freight transport has been made. It is found that by all index indicators, Ukraine ranks lower than partner countries. Based on the determination of the competitive position of domestic enterprises in the European markets for transport services, the main problems and weaknesses were identified, namely imperfect customs work, poor infrastructure, corruption of officials, some gaps in the regulatory framework, etc. Particular attention was paid to the technical barriers to the implementation in the European markets of freight transport services by domestic enterprises and a system of measures for their elimination was proposed, including improvement of the system of obtaining permits, solving personnel problems, modernization, including digitalization of the industry, etc.Discussion. To intensify and increase the efficiency of the international economic activity of Ukrainian freight carriers and integrate the domestic logistics system into the European one, Ukraine needs to rely not only on its own resources but also to attract international economic assistance, both bilateral and multilateral. The technical assistance will provide the solution to the personnel problem and help to modernize the industry, adapting them to the European requirements.

INNOVATION AND INVESTMENT POTENTIAL OF THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY OF UKRAINE

Introduction. The main requirement of the Ukrainian transport industry is precisely the ability to operate under different conditions of flexibility and elasticity of the national market of transport services. The transport sector plays an important role in the implementation of various socio-economic links, both nationally and internationally. Therefore, the investment and innovation development of the transport sector in the country plays not only one of the key roles, but also can contribute to ensuring the proper level of formation and development of a wide range of partnerships in both the private and public sectors of the economy. Thus, in parallel with the prospect of developing national transport connections as a separate transport industry, it will also contribute to the improvement of other important sectors in the life and functioning of Ukraine. The purpose. It is a comprehensive study of the situation in the transport sector of Ukraine, in determining the potential of the transport industry of the state, as well as its innovation and investment support. Results. The article outlines the negative phenomena that occur today in the transport industry of Ukraine. The meaning and necessity of practical realization of the innovative and investment potential of the Ukrainian transport industry are investigated. The problems of practical realization of innovative activity are outlined, as well as an overview of possible perspectives of innovative and investment development of the state transport potential. Conclusion. It was noted that in line with the stage of achieving the economic indicators of Ukraine, the transport industry should also change in full accordance with the demand that will take place for transport services. The transport industry has, to some extent, become a so-called "risky project" for the country, because there are no approaches now available to study and implement accurate forecasting for its further development. In the absence of timely response to the need for immediate implementation of measures, the failure of the transportation industry of Ukraine in the near term of time may meet the needs of the population in transportation, the development of tourist services and various business processes. There is also a risk of loss of competitiveness of the state transport system, which is manifested in the insufficient ability of Ukraine to participate in the provision of servicing processes with respect to international freight flows. Keywords: transport, transport industry, transport potential, transport innovation, transport industry investment, innovation and investment potential

Impact of stakeholder perspectives on cost-effectiveness estimates of four specialized nutritious foods for preventing stunting and wasting in children 6\u201323\u2009months in Burkina Faso

BackgroundMultiple specialized nutritious food options are programmed for supplementation in humanitarian and development settings. However, comparative cost-effectiveness evidence is lacking, let alone incorporation of perspectives from uncompensated stakeholders. A Burkina Faso trial evaluated the cost-effectiveness of Corn Soy Blend Plus w/ oil (CSB+ w/oil, reference arm), Corn Soy Whey Blend w/oil (CSWB w/oil), Super Cereal Plus (SC+), and Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF) in reducing stunting and wasting among children 6–23 months old. This paper presents cost-effectiveness findings from multiple stakeholders’ perspectives, including caregivers and program volunteers.MethodsAn activity-based costing with ingredients approach was used to summarize cost of the 18-month-long blanket supplementary feeding for each enrolled child (in 2018 USD). Time data were collected using self-reported and observational instruments. Cost-effectiveness relative to CSB+ w/oil assessed incremental cost per enrolled child against incremental outcomes: prevalence of stunting at 23 months of age and number of months of wasting. Two combined perspectives were compared: program (donor, implementer, and volunteer) versus program and caregiver (adding caregiver).ResultsA total of 6112 children were enrolled. While similar effectiveness was found in three arms (CSWB w/oil was less effective), costs differed. Product cost and caregiver time to prepare study foods were major drivers of cross-arm cost differences from the respective combined perspective. The two major drivers were used to construct uncertainty ranges of cost per enrolled child from program and caregiver perspective: $317 ($279- $355) in CSB+ w/oil, $350 ($327- $373) in CSWB w/oil, $387 ($371- $403) in RUSF, and $434 ($365- $503) in SC+. Cost from program and caregiver perspective was a substantial increase from program perspective. CSB+ w/oil was most cost-effective in reducing stunting and wasting, and this main finding was robust to changing perspectives and all corresponding sensitivity analyses when uncompensated time was valued at minimum wage ($0.36/h). The break-even point for uncompensated time valuation is >$0.84/h, where RUSF became the most cost-effective from the program and caregiver perspective. Relative cost-effectiveness rankings among the other three arms depended on choice of perspectives, and were sensitive to values assigned to product cost, international freight cost, opportunity cost of time, and outcomes of a hypothetical control. Volunteer opportunity cost did not affect arm comparisons, but lack of compensation resulted in negative financial consequences for caregivers.ConclusionsEvaluating cost-effectiveness by incorporating uncompensated stakeholders provided crucial implementation insights around nutrition products and programming.Trial registrationTrial registration number: NCT02071563.Name of registry: ClinicalTrials.govURL of registry: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02071563?type=Intr&cond=Malnutrition&cntry=BF&draw=2&rank=9Date of registration: February 26, 2014.Date of enrollment of first participant: July 2014.

Machine learning for international freight transportation management: A comprehensive review

Machine learning (ML) offers a promising avenue for international freight transportation management (IFTM) given its capability to harness the power of data that have become increasingly available to freight transportation researchers and practitioners. This paper conducts a comprehensive investigation of the state-of-the-art in developing ML models for applications to different aspects of IFTM. We start by giving an overview of various fundamental ML methods. Then, how different ML methods have been employed, adapted, and applied to a multitude of subject areas in IFTM are discussed, including demand forecast, operation and asset maintenance, and vehicle trajectory and on-time performance prediction. The potential data sources that may be used to develop ML models are further examined. Subsequently, a synthesis of the exiting work is performed to identify the specific topics addressed in the existing research, ML methods used, the trends of research, and opportunities for further explorations. Four directions for future research are proposed in the end

ОСНОВНІ ІСТОРИЧНО-ПРАВОВІ АСПЕКТИ РЕГУЛЮВАННЯ МІЖНАРОДНИХ АВТОМОБІЛЬНИХ ПЕРЕВЕЗЕНЬ

The article analyzes the basic legal aspects of one of the institutes of transport law - international freight road transport. The article focused on historical and legal aspects, of freight transport by road in international transport legal framework. The main directions and its systematization are provided in the article. The legal relations that arise during the international carriage of goods by road and which are drawn up by the relevant civil agreements are describes, the basic rights and obligations of the parties in these relations are detailed. Object of study - international road freight transport. The purpose of the work is to propose ways to improve the organization of the international road haulage system, to reveal the role of state bodies in ensuring its effective functioning in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine. Method Research - a multivariate analysis of the research object's operating conditions. In all countries of the world, transport is one of the important sectors of the economy and an integral part of interpersonal relations. The transportation process does not produce a new product, but acts as a link between enterprises, facilitating the functioning of other sectors of the economy, the fulfillment of social tasks, the rational and flexible use of productive forces, ensuring the country's defense capability. Therefore, the state policy of Ukrainian transport complex formation and development provides for timely, complete and qualitative satisfaction of the needs of public production and economic entities in international freight transportation, creation of equal conditions for the development of economic activity of road transport enterprises of all forms of ownership and entry of Ukrainian transport complex to the European and the world transport system The results of the article can be implemented in the work of motor transport enterprises that provide international freight. Estimated assumptions for the study object development - the search for the optimal system organization of international road haulage. KEYWORDS: INTERNATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORTATION, CARGO, CONVENTIONS, AGREEMENTS, CONTRACTS, CARRIER, FREIHGHT FORVARDER, CARGO RECEIVER, CARRIER VEHICLE

Logistics of the Pass-through Route in the Multimodal Transportation (st. Astana- st. Dina Nurpeisova - Port Poti - Port Odessa - European Union)

The article presents the results of studies to determine the freight charge in the system of international freight transportation with the participation of the railways of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Poland, as well as shipping through the Caspian Sea, Ukraine. The freight charge is determined when organizing container transportation. The calculations were performed both according to the methodology with a tariff fracture, and for the through-shoulder technique. The essence of the tariff fracture methodology is that when a freight train switches to the railway of a neighboring state, the transportation distance is reset. Carriage charges are calculated on the railway of a particular state from the border station to the next border station. Within the railway of the countries participating in international freight traffic, the freight charge is determined in national currency, then at the current rate it is converted into Swiss franc. It is known that the freight charge is determined on the basis of unit tariff rates and the corresponding differentiation scheme. There are three differentiation schemes in total. In all differentiation schemes, unit tariff rates depend on the distance of transportation. In these differentiation schemes, tariff rates decrease with increasing transportation distance. When using the through-shoulder technique, the tariff distance is determined from the departure station to the destination station, that is, according to the through-shoulder scheme. The freight charge is calculated in Swiss francs, which makes it possible to use the national currencies of the participating countries through the current exchange rate <i>ChF</i>. Since in this case the tariff distance according to the through-leverage scheme is greater than the tariff distances along the railways of the participating countries, the freight charge according to the through-leverage method will be less. This will reduce the freight charge for container transportation and offer railway customers more favorable conditions.

Regional economic effects of transport infrastructure development featuring trade gateway region-asymmetric spatial CGE model approach

Port, or airport, is an essential infrastructure for international trade. Actually it is impossible to export/import for island countries without such port infrastructure. International freight transport system includes not only the infrastructure facilities but also the specialized procedure of international cargo handling and trading in the “trade gateway” region. It means that the situation of transport, or trade, system is asymmetric between the trade gateway region and other regions.This paper proposes a methodology based on spatial computable general equilibrium (SCGE) model framework taking into account of the asymmetric aspects of trade gateway region explicitly. The model describes the role of export and import sector in the trade gateway region, which do not exist other hinterland regions. We then apply the model to Japanese economy divided into two regions, trade gateway (Tokyo) and rest of Japan. Some transport development scenarios are evaluated quantitatively. A sensitivity analysis remarks the discussions regarding the effects of elasticity assumptions.

МОРСКОЙ ТРАНСПОРТ ЯПОНИИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ГЛОБАЛИЗАЦИИ

The process of globalization which today engulfed the majority of world countries, is most closely related to the development of international transportation infrastructure and, in the first turn, of maritime transport, which have the significant portion of cargo transportation service. The maritime transport is the important instrument of these processes. Simultaneously the high tempos of the international cooperation force to search for the new ways of upgrading the efficiency with the aim to satisfy the time demands. Starting from this fact there is observed the appearance of international transportation corridors and innovations based on the recent science and technology achievements. The international freight transportation of Japan is dominated by maritime transport. The volume of cargo carried by Japanese shipping vessels increased enormously during globalization. But the railway and automobile transport corridor between Japan and Russia will do much to upgrade the efficiency of Eurasia cargo service.

Multi-objective Optimization Model of Multi-modal Transport Based on Regional Sustainability Indicators

With the development of “One Belt, One Road” initiative and free trade area, the volume of cross-border international logistics involving multiple modes of transport has surged. Meanwhile, the proportion of using integrated transportation system in domestic trunk transport has increased. Multi-modal transport (MMT) based on green transport can realize intensive utilization of transport capacity resources, and implement sustainable transport management with three bottom lines of economic, environmental and social aspects. In this paper, the carbon emission index and regional transportation infrastructure utilization index are introduced to construct a multi-objective optimization model with sustainable goals of environmental protection, cost saving and social contribution. The poly-population genetic algorithm (PPGA) is used to overcome the limitation of the traditional genetic algorithm running to the local optimum. The model proposed by this paper quantifies environmental and social indicators, balances comprehensive performance of environment, economy and society, and provides quantitative decision making support for carriers, international freight forwarder or third party logistics to carry out green MMT.

Preventing the Negative Effects of the Covid-19 Epidemic in International Freight Transport

Measures taken to handle the COVID-19 epidemic in the spring of 2020 have had a significant impact on European supply chains. In terms of freight transport, this has led to a decline and congestion in truck traffic due to different restrictions on the internal borders of the EU. As similar situations cannot be avoided in the future, it is worthy to form supply chains that are less affected by different epidemics. Similarly to the physical internet hubs, distribution hubs can be forward-looking, but only if it helps development of rail-road intermodal freight transport. The article describes the possibility of a rail-road freight transport system that allows the application of radically new solutions through a new container handling technology that can be used in the rail-road relationship. The extension of the idea at the EU level could result in a significant increase in the share of rail freight and a sizeable reduction of the negative impact of epidemics on the supply chains. Among other effects, the solution can have a significant impact on the IT development of rail freight transport. The solution can also have effect to the development of the network of rail-road intermodal trans-shipment points, their automation and ultimately the completion of Logistics 4.0.

Detective Work of the National Police of Ukraine in the Context of Combating Organized Crime

The presented article describes organized crime as a phenomenon that encroaches on the safety of road freight transport and leads to the disappearance of drivers. Researchers who have studied organized crime and current issues that arise during the establishment of missing persons have been identified. The signs of modern transnational crime, which uses transport corridors and truck drivers for their own criminal purposes, are formulated. It is argued that such crimes can be divided into two groups: those that encroach on the safety of the driver, vehicles or cargo, and those related to the involvement of the driver in criminal activities. The structure and features inherent in international criminal groups are described, their activity in the aspect of the given problems is characterized. Emphasis is placed on quarantine measures imposed by a number of countries due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. It is noted that transnational criminal groups mainly use Ukrainian citizens living in border regions and may be involved in the illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs to commit such crimes. It is pointed out the need for increased attention of operational units to work out the leaders of the above groups using a comprehensive approach to the conduct of investigative actions and operational and investigative measures. The basic rights of operational units during the search for missing persons are outlined. It is emphasized that the time factor is extremely important for the search for persons. These shortcomings in the work of the National Police of Ukraine in this direction and to improve the situation on the roads outlined the main gaps in the legislation. Drivers carrying out long-distance and international freight transportation were interviewed in order to better understand the issues and develop adequate measures. The obtained results are based on statistical data and practical examples. Ways to optimize work in this area are proposed. The purpose of the study: to substantiate the current issues of investigative work of the National Police in the context of combating organized crime and to identify ways to optimize activities in this area. The methodological basis of the article is a dialectical approach to the analysis of situations of disappearance caused by the activities of organized criminal groups. Methods of formal logic are used in the work: analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy, abstraction. As well as statistical, system-structural methods and forecasting method. The scientific novelty of the article is that the authors were among the first in Ukraine to make a scientific description of the problems of search work in the context of combating organized crime in the field of freight transport. Conclusions. Organized crime encroaches on the safety of freight transport in Ukraine, which leads to the disappearance of drivers and their involvement in criminal activities. Based on the results obtained in the study, the authors proposed ways to solve a number of problems to optimize work in this area

Railway sidings as a freight generator from the perspective of legal provisions

The paper characterizes conditionings of demand on railway cargo carriages in Poland. Advantages of geographical location of Poland were shown from the perspective of international freight corridors scheme. Historic intermodal freight volumes were visualized and taken in reference. The authors took an effort to define notions for a set of elements of logistic infrastructure with substantial meaning for functioning of railway transportation. Key focus was put on features of railway sidings and operational issues linked to their usage. Subjective law provisions and regulations of high significance were quoted and commented. Reasonableness of offering grants from European Union public funds for creation or amelioration of railway reloading facilities was proven in the context of EU transport policy aimed at support for modal shift to environmentally friendly shipping solutions. Keywords: Rail transport services; Logistics infrastructure; Railway sidings; Act on rail transport