Transport Of Perishable Goods Research Articles

Cold Chain Logistics and Joint Distribution: A Review of Fresh Logistics Modes

With the continuous development of the global logistics industry, cold chain transportation and joint distribution, as critical strategies in supply chain management, are gradually becoming key means to ensure the safe transportation of perishable goods, pharmaceuticals, and other temperature-sensitive commodities. The present study is dedicated to an in-depth exploration of cold chain logistics and joint distribution, with a particular focus on a review of fresh food logistics modes, aiming to comprehensively understand their operational modes, advantages, challenges, and future development trends. The present study elucidates the basic concepts of fresh food logistics and underscores its significance in supply chain management. Through comparative analysis of different operational modes, it reveals their advantages in enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and mitigating environmental impacts. The present study focuses on the operational mode of joint distribution, discussing its application in cold chain logistics and its differences from traditional logistics modes. Through case studies and empirical analysis, it evaluates the impact of joint distribution on logistics efficiency and costs, as well as its potential to enhance transportation efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Lastly, the present study provides an outlook on the future development trends of cold chain logistics and joint distribution, discussing the influences of technological innovation, policy support, and industry collaboration and offering recommendations and prospects to drive the sustained development of the industry. Through a comprehensive summary of fresh food logistics, cold chain logistics operational modes, and joint distribution operational modes, this paper aims to provide in-depth theoretical support and practical guidance for related research and practices.

DEVELOPMENT OF DOMESTIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE COLD SUPPLY CHAIN OF PERISHABLE PRODUCTS

The purpose of the work is to analyze the cold supply chain of perishable products (PP) of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) of the country, to assess the volume of production of SPP that requires compliance with the temperature regime; to analyze the transportation of perishable goods of the Republic of Kazakhstan by all modes of transport, to analyze the load capacity of refrigerated vehicles in the country, to identify problems of storage and transportation infrastructure in the supply chains of the PP, to determine the directions of their development, to develop recommendations for improving the efficiency of functioning and development of the infrastructure of the cold chain. The work uses statistical and analytical methods of generalization and comparative analysis, an expert survey. The paper provides recommendations for business and the state to improve the areas of the cold chain of the PP, namely: it is necessary to create an authorized state body, which will be entrusted with the authority to develop the running chain of food products, to address issues of regulation of the cold chain market; the adoption of new regulatory documents to improve the turnover of the PP; investments in the running chain, training. Keywords: perishable products; supply chain; logistics infrastructure; vegetable store; food warehouse.

Particularities regarding the design and conception of a bodywork superstructure intended for the transportation of perishable goods

The aim of this paper is to present the characteristics of the design and construction of a vehicle body superstructure intended for the transportation of perishable goods. In the first phase, the design of the superstructure was conceived, followed by its design. Then, the calculation of the mass distribution on the truck axles, as well as the calculation of the truck’s cornering, was carried out, and finally, the superstructure was made, which was mounted on the truck.

Assessment of unprofitability of road transport of perishable goods in international traffic under the conditions of border blockade

Assessment of unprofitability of road transport of perishable goods in international traffic under the conditions of border blockade

Field catering in the operational and training activities of the Carabinieri Corps.

The Armed Force's victualling sector, and field catering, in particular, were brought up to date following Publication No. C-19, Compendium of Logistic Provisions of the Carabinieri Force. Previously, there was no specific regulation in the defense sector, except for the operational reality of military contingents deployed abroad. The aim of this discussion is the military field catering regulatory adaptation to the procedures of the Certified Notification of Commencement of Activities, pursuant to Law 241/90. To this end, the Ministry of Defense has adopted a specific notification model for its food businesses (Interministerial Decree 06/03/2020). Presidential Decree 327/1980 also applies in the Arma with regard to refrigerated shelters intended for the storage of foodstuffs at a controlled temperature. The authorization, issued by the Veterinary Service of the Arma General Headquarters, is valid for 2 years and is renewable subject to verification of the specific requirements. The procedures to submit the certified activity start notice (SCIA) are functional for the type of service operation. The Veterinary Service issues a specific technical opinion on the relative hygiene and health requirements, while the plant-infrastructure part is assessed by the competent Directorate of Works of the Corps of Engineers of the aforementioned General Command. Failure to submit the SCIA is punishable under Legislative Decree No. 193/2007; however, if the conditions are met, recourse to the administrative institution of the warning is preferred. In the verification phase of the shelters in question, compliance with the regulations concerning the Agreement on the Transport of Perishable Goods must be ascertained. The new regulations allow the Armed Force to guarantee food safety in military operations involving the use of field modules for catering purposes.

Construction of a simulation model for the transportation of perishable goods along variable routes

The object of research is the system of organization of transportation of perishable goods. The study subject is the technological process of transportation of perishable goods by small shipments. The problem solved was a multicriteria optimization of the technological process of delivery of perishable goods by small shipments. The results are the built simulation model for the distribution of small consignments of perishable goods and the optimization according to the criterion of minimizing delivery time while limiting the rational use of available vehicles. To construct a simulation model, discrete-event and agent-based principles were used. The model built combines the solution to the transport problem and the traveling salesman problem simultaneously with taking into account the stochastic duration of technological operations. When forming the distribution route, the model algorithm takes into account the minimum allowable batch size to the i-th destination, which allows each time to build a new unique route of the vehicle. Unlike existing ones, the model constructed allows taking into account the peculiarities of the distribution network, the minimum consignment of cargo, and dynamically changing the route in accordance with the available cargo. Each time the cargo mass arrives at the logistics terminal, the condition of a sufficient quantity of goods intended for delivery to points of sale is checked. If the quantity of cargo sufficient for shipment is equal to the capacity of the car body, a new information message is generated on the availability of goods ready for shipment. Scope and conditions of practical use of the obtained results include transport companies, retail chains, distribution logistics

Innovative bases of technology of autonomous transportation of perishable cargo

Transportation of perishable goods is a special type of transportation that has great social significance and has an impact on the health of the population. The correct choice of transportation technology and vehicle ensures the preservation of the quality of the transported perishable cargo due to compliance with the required temperature conditions, which in turn ensures compliance with food safety requirements. This article is devoted to the development of scientifically sound recommendations for the selection of new cooling systems for perishable goods by rail and technology parameters, including requirements for specialized vehicles, compliance with which will provide conditions for maintaining the quality of cargo throughout the entire transportation. The subject of research is to ensure the possibility of changing the composition of the gas environment of vehicles for the transportation of perishable goods due to re-equipment. The aim of the work is to develop the principles of technology for autonomous transportation of perishable foodstuffs, namely, ensuring high thermal parameters of vehicle enclosing structures; autonomous operation of installations during PG transportation with the simplest and most reliable implementation; achieving maximum efficiency of the equipment used in terms of generating thermal energy or energy spent on cooling when using non-energy-intensive methods organization of mass exchange of air inside the cargo area. Through analysis and theoretical studies, the possibility of joint operation of the gasifier and the heater was confirmed, the single-line nitrogen supply scheme was adjusted. Due to the use of modern methods and devices for cooling (heating), a reduction in costs for the transportation of products is guaranteed. The result of the work is confirmation of the possibility of joint operation of the gasifier and the heater under real conditions of transportation of fruit and vegetable products by rail.

INTELLIGENT SYSTEM OF TEMPERATURE MONITORING IN REFRIGERATED CONTAINERS

The work emphasizes the importance of maintaining a consistent temperature while transporting temperature-sensitive goods in the logistics cold chain. Refrigerated transportation plays a critical role in this chain, and the safe and efficient transport of perishable goods, such as food or pharmaceuticals, heavily relies on maintaining appropriate temperature levels. Real-time temperature monitoring and timely response to deviations are vital to prevent spoilage and financial losses. This paper presents an intelligent temperature monitoring system that employs a WiFi-enabled IoT platform NodeMCU-ESP32 to collect real-time temperature data, which is then transmitted to the AWS cloud platform. The system uses machine learning algorithms to predict temperature deviations and sends alerts to relevant stakeholders via the Telegram messaging service. The system architecture comprises AWS services, including API Gateway, IAM, Lambda, DynamoDB, and SNS, offering a scalable, secure, and cost-effective temperature monitoring solution.

Measures of State Support for the Aviation Industry and the Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the Global air Transportation Market

This article analyses the international air transportation market, assessing the impact of coronavirus and government support measures. Air transport is now extremely important for the successful functioning of the global economy, its further harmonious development, and the maintenance of sustainable economic growth; allows for the mobile high-speed movement of people and goods between different continents, contributing to the development of world trade and the international tourism industry. Given that sales of high-tech goods depend on a well-functioning air transport system, there is currently no alternative to air transport for the transport of perishable goods. The current trend in the development of air transportation is focused on the growth in demand for international air transportation, the annual improvement of its infrastructure and the legislative framework in this area in the world and in individual countries. Consumers prefer air transportation to another mode of transport, which is justified by the reduction in the time of delivery of goods to anywhere in the world.

Оценка холодопроизводительности холодильной установки автотранспортного средства

Abstract. The need for isothermal vans for the transportation of perishable goods and cargo is currently relevant in our country. An acute problem is also the evaluation of refrigerators in order to determine the most important indicator of the quality of the insulation of the van — the heat transfer coefficient and the efficiency (cooling capacity) of the automobile refrigeration unit. According to Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 21, 2020 No. 2200 “On approval of the Rules for the carriage of goods by road and on amendments to clause 2.1.1 of the Rules of the Road of the Russian Federation”, the draft Law of the Russian Federation “On the requirements for vehicles intended for the transport of perishable food products”, all specialized vehicles in operation on the territory of the Russian Federation and duly registered are subject to assessment of compliance with international standards. In this regard, the relevance of this problem is obvious. It requires an immediate solution to the current situation. In order to check the efficiency of refrigeration equipment, as well as to classify an isothermal vehicle equipped with a refrigeration unit to one or another class of refrigerated vehicle during certification, tests are carried out to measure the refrigeration unit’s cooling capacity. Recently, a number of works devoted to obtaining similar results have been published. But the question of the mechanism for determining the exact characteristics of automotive refrigeration equipment has not been fully disclosed. The emphasis on the study of the properties and characteristics of specialized vehicles, as well as the choice of refrigerated trucks for the transportation of perishable goods and cargo was made in the works of A. Gryzunov, V. Kornienko, S. Vavilova [2–5]. The result of the study is to study in detail the existing regulatory framework and, on the basis of it, develop a methodology, a model that differs from those currently available, to facilitate, simplify the test to determine the main characteristics of automotive refrigeration equipment. The article presents the features and capabilities of an isothermal chamber for testing vehicles and refrigeration equipment. The device of the camera and the equipment used are described. A test procedure for measuring the cooling capacity of an automobile refrigeration unit is described. The results of an experimental evaluation of the refrigeration capacity of the refrigeration unit of an isothermal car van are presented. The testing methodology has its origin in the master’s final qualifying work “Theoretical foundations of thermophysical tests of special vehicles.” The practical significance of the presented results lies in the fact that this technique simplifies the process and reduces the time for testing, without changing the quality of the results obtained.

Methodology of Research on the Demand for Development of Transport Infrastructure and Rolling Stock for Perishable Goods Transportation

In the context of globalisation of economic relationships, intensification of transportation and technological solutions, the methodology of research and development of transport infrastructure requires improvement and adaptation to dynamically changing conditions of the transportation market.The objective of the work is to formalise and to develop a methodology for studying transport infrastructure, including specialised isothermal rolling stock. The initial data on cargo turnover were processed by the methods of mathematical statistics, and the technical parameters of innovative isothermal rolling stock were substantiated using the methods of T. Saaty analytic hierarchy process, expert assessment, and update engineering design process.The article provides an analysis of the cargo turnover of perishable goods transported by railway refrigerated transport in Russia in terms of volumes, types of rolling stock, and origin. The main origin-destination cargo flows are presented by types of transportation (domestic, transit, export, import transport operations). It has been determined that key factors in development of isothermal rolling stock for transportation of perishable goods in the transport system of the country refer to transportation of meat, fish, beer, soft drinks, juices in the segment of domestic transportation. The analysis shows that there are no structural and quantitative shifts in terms of types of transportation and types of cargo.The strategy for development of vehicles for transportation of perishable goods and the methodology are presented in a block diagram, in sections: «statement of the research problem», «decision-making stages», «decision implementation methods and algorithms». It is shown that the problem includes not only development of stationary railway infrastructure and of stages in development of isothermal rolling stock, but also the need to solve organisational, technical, technological, regulatory, and legal problems, as well as tariff regulation.The issues of methodology for designing an innovative isothermal rolling stock are considered referring to possible prospects for its development and areas of operation, as well as to a set of engineering and technological solutions. The study of linear dimensions and useful section of the loading space of various types of isothermal bodies shows the advantage of wagons and swap bodies in comparison with large-capacity refrigerated containers.It is proposed to design a prototype of innovative isothermal rolling stock on the basis of a universal isothermal swap body, configured with various types of refrigerating equipment with specified technical parameters that best meet the requirements of the modern transportation market. The areas of possible use of various types of isothermal rolling stock are analysed considering long-term forecasts for development of agricultural, fishing and processing industries.

Shot lot transportation by road transport

In the cargo turn-over of our country, the most important place is taken by transportation of perishable products and shot lots. Specific peculiarities of perishable products transportation make them one of the most critical ones and impose higher requirements to technical means of mobile refrigeration. The main task for mobile refrigeration is improvement of quality of transportation of perishable goods, productivity of work, capital productivity, reduction of current material costs per unit of transported cargo, more effective use of available and more rapid development of new economically efficient engineering tools.

Impact of External Conditions on Selecting Special Transport Vehicle for Perishable Cargo Transportation

The list of special transport vehicles used for transporting the perishable goods by rail in Russia is presented in the study. The maximum allowable cargo delivery time was estimated depending on the type of used vehicle. The impact of external factors on the heat transfer coefficient of a vehicle body and the temperature head during transportation of perishable goods by rail are presented. It is determined that the heat transfer coefficient increases by 3 ÷ 10% at a train speed of 100 km/h, which reduces the maximum permissible delivery time of refrigerated cargo to the consumer. The effect of insolation on the car surface increases the heat flux inside the car body when transporting refrigerated goods and reduces the heat flux when transporting heated goods in vehicles, which also affects the deadlines for cargo delivery. The method of selecting a special vehicle considering the known maximum allowable time of perishable goods transportation is exposed in the study. The conclusions indicate what changes should be implemented in the existing methodology for calculating the deadline for perishable goods transportation, which will reduce the risk of their delivery in inadequate condition.

Transportation of perishable goods by air: handling problems at Russian airports

The article deals with the problems of perishable goods handling process at Russian airports on delivery in international supply chains (ISC). The investigation was carried out on the basis of operational analysis. The initial stage of the study, which was performed applying statistical analysis, revealed that the major category of perishable goods which establish air transportation demand into Russia is the fresh exotic fruits. The investigation was performed taking the mango supply chain as an example, due to its non-standard thermal and storage requirements. The second stage resulted in the perishable goods airport handling quality criteria set formation: the number of mandatory cargo while handling operations, the required time for these operations, the amount of paper work, the number of multi-temperature chambers at the airport and their area, ULD temperature storage system availability. The study revealed that about 90% of perishable goods, which are imported to Russia, are handled at the airports of Moscow aviation hub because other airports in Russia lack the temperature storage facilities infrastructure. This restriction raises the price of perishable goods logistics on the territory of the country considerably as well as reduces their quality. Four international airports of strategic importance outside the boarders of the central federal district which have the potential of forming central hubs for perishable goods handling as well as processing of transit and transfer flows were chosen in the context of this study. Among them are the airports of Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg and Krasnoyarsk. The airports of Moscow aviation hub were offered specialization on the subject of perishable goods export-import flow handling. The materials received from airlines, major cargo terminals at Russian airports, transport companies, specialized international air transport enterprises and logistics associations were exploited as the data for this study. The research registered that the deterrence to the speed of supply chain operation is the time of cargo ground service at Russian airports which considerably exceeds the cargo ground service time in the exporting country. The delays are connected with the poor development of perishable goods handling cargo terminals and also with loads of paper work because the system of electronic workflow and automated checking of markings doesn’t exist. The model of electronic workflow in the International Supply Chain which utilizes pre-flight and pre-loading preliminary information about the cargo was offered. Block Chain system for checking the correct presentation of documents at all stages of the supply chain was introduced which reduces the total time of cargo ground handling process.

Conceptual model of floriculture supply chain management

The flower industry today is a fairly dynamic international industry. Proof of this is the significant growth rates achieved in recent years in this area. Thus transportation of perishable goods is one of the most difficult types of delivery, and transportation of flowers is even more difficult. Because it is necessary not only to strictly adhere to the temperature regime, but also to preserve the appearance of such a demanding cargo. Conducted analysis of the flower industry has shown that market demand is stagnant, while supply is in surplus. In part, this is due to the fact that flowers are highly correlated with income, not being essential commodities. Although on the other hand, consumer demand is becoming more demanding and differentiated. The main factors influencing the market of floriculture products were identified and studied. It was noted that the market of floriculture products in Ukraine is relatively small and young, but promising and growing rapidly. In addition, it is one of the most complex and time-consuming, due to its features. First of all, the floriculture market is represented by a significant number of participants that have different basic and current resources, goals for the market, needs, and so on. Studies have shown that the floriculture industry can suffer huge losses, mainly due to the lack of proper infrastructure for storage and transportation, as well as due to the lack of control over the conditions of supply. Lack of visibility in supply chains leads to quality problems, which leads to product loss, product returns, rising costs, and time delays. In addition, changing consumer demands, an active lifestyle and an open economy are forcing manufacturers and suppliers to produce higher quality goods and constantly look for ways to optimize costs. The proposed conceptual model of floriculture supply chain management will make it possible to form a new infrastructure that will unite all the subjects of the floriculture market into a single system. Thus, we can say that the priority areas of infrastructure development of the floriculture market should be determined in terms of a systematic approach and consist in the interaction of elements of production, intermediary, floristic, design, marketing, financial, information and agricultural components. Each part of the chain must perform its function effectively in order to maintain the optimal conditions of the environment in which the products of floriculture are located, during its supply from the manufacturers to the final consumers. To this end, a combination of innovative technologies that help to manage the supply of floriculture products in real time through the supply chain was proposed. Therefore, in order to satisfy consumers, it is necessary to form an effective supply chain for floriculture products, all parts of which must work in a whole, so that end consumers can get high quality products.

Development of an interaction model of sea and land transport in the transportation of perishable goods

The issues of the interaction of sea and land transport during the transportation of perishable goods are especially in demand at present in connection with the active development of intermodal transport. In addition, due to the rapidly changing specifics of the transport and logistics infrastructure in ports and terminals, the organization of transportation of perishable goods, which are especially vulnerable in terms of quality, requires new approaches and methods. The paper notes the high importance of preliminary preparation for the process of interaction between marine and land transport by operators of marine and land transport. On the part of the marine transport operator, it is advisable to focus on the pre-contractual work and clarification of the conditions for the formation of the freight rate; on the part of the land transportation operator, in the process of preliminary preparation, the state of the transport network for transporting refrigerated cargo near the port is of great importance. The paper proposes two new indicators for assessing the state of the transport network for the transportation of refrigerated goods. At the end of the paper, a model of the interaction of sea and land transport during the transportation of perishable goods with the expression of the multitude of cargo flows of perishable goods in the port through the matrix form is presented.

ФОРМУВАННЯ ЛАНЦЮГІВ ПОСТАЧАНЬ ПРИ ПЕРЕВЕЗЕННІ ШВИДКОПСУВНИХ ВАНТАЖІВ

The article is a synthesis of theoretical approaches to the definition of «supply chain» and to consider the formation of supply chains, justifying the need to consider the conditions of transportation of perishable goods. In the article analyzes the main characteristics of the supply chain in which it differs from the usual shipping is that it, companies are partners, not competitors, which are set to profit by due to the optimal delivery of goods between all links of the chain. But do not take into account the characteristics of perishable products, which limits the use of existing supply chains for products with unlimited shelf life and requires research in the study of patterns of logistic chains delivering perishable goods. In the article found that the formation of the supply chain do not address specific delivery of perishable goods with limited shelf life. In Ukraine, the commercial merezhayi not always warehouses for storage of goods, so formuivanni supply chain must consider these characteristics and also in more detail to consider when choosing a model of supply chain management KEYWORDS: SUPPLY CHAIN, SUPPLY CHAIN LENGTH, WIDTH OF SUPPLY CHAIN, SHIPPING LOADS, TRADE NETWORKS.

The use of liquefied natural gas in the combined power unit of autonomous refrigerated car

A specific feature of the market for the transport of perishable goods is the length of the routes. As part of the implementation of new technical solutions for isothermal rolling stock, research is being conducted on the development of autonomous power supply complexes. The article discusses combined power supply system of an autonomous refrigerated car (ARC), which includes a diesel generator set and a carriage generator. Possibility of using liquefied natural gas as a motor fuel for a diesel generator set, as well as generator and drive units with a car generator is being evaluated. Taking into account the operating experience of power plants of cars in the mode of unmanned technologies, the advantages of using liquefied gas as fuel are described. Comparative calculation of the costs of various types of fuel by the ARC power plant is given. The advantages of using the utilization of the heat of vaporization of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to increase the cooling capacity of a regular refrigeration unit are substantiated. Article gives comparative calculated economic assessment of fuel costs when using different options for power supply systems on routes when driving at high speed and accelerated refrigerated trains, which allows determining the required onboard fuel supply for different options. The use of LNG as a motor fuel and an additional source of cold for ARC is promising. Autonomy of the car on existing fuel reserves is increased by reducing the operating time of refrigeration and power plants. Reducing operating costs is achieved through savings on the purchase of fuel, since the price of an equivalent amount of LNG is lower than that of gasoline or diesel fuel. Operational advantages of LNG are to protect the fuel system from corrosion and contamination. The use of a generator-drive unit with a car generator will save from 30 to 70 % of the fuel used (LNG or diesel), depending on the speed of the freight train on routes of considerable length.

The model of selecting multimodal technologies for the transport of perishable products

The main goal of this paper is to provide an original model of selecting multimodal technologies for the transport of perishable goods. The model in particular refers to the transportability of cargoes. The features of cargoes that have the most impact on transportability were specified. Formal representations of the key elements of the model were presented and characterized, including: perishable cargoes, form of transported goods (solid, liquid, etc.), means of handling (including loading devices and transport means), transport routes, categories of human labor, multimodal technologies and transportation tasks. A formal representation of decision variables, as well as constrains and a criterion function were provided. The model bases on two main solution assessment criteria: cost criterion and cargo safety criterion. A cargo safety criterion in the model is composed of 18 partial criterion functions. Each of these functions directly affects one safety aspect of the transported cargo. The exemplary partial criteria of cargo safety included in the model are: acceptable transport time, minimum or maximum temperature in the cargo’s direct surroundings, resistance to mechanical damage. In order to present a practical application of the presented mathematical model the paper shows also an example of selecting one of the multimodal technologies for the transport of perishable goods from the set of pre-defined types of multimodal transport technologies. The developed method uses different elements of the mathematical model provided in the paper, depending on the considered problem (including characteristics of cargo and their transport forms). For a significant group of perishable cargoes, it is not required to consider all defined criteria associated with cargo safety. The developed model allows for the accurate selection of transport technology for perishable cargoes for most transportation tasks. It should help to increase the efficiency of selection of multimodal transport technology for perishable products. The selected technology will then be characterized by the lowest transport cost and will ensure the safety of transported cargoes, as well as will meet other requirements determined by the transport task. As part of further work, it is possible to develop proposed method by considering additional characteristics of perishable cargoes.

The Northern Sea Route as a reefer container transport corridor

The use of the Northern Sea Route as a transport corridor between the European and Asian continents is currently attracting increased interest in the trade, economic and logistic communities. The possibility to deliver cargo from Europe to Asia and back much faster is extremely attractive for cargo owners in the conditions of instability of the development of modern regional economic trends, turbulence of the global economy as a whole. In the conditions of rapidly changing market demand and supply in the markets of food products in Europe and Asia, the use of the Northern Sea Route as the shortest route between two continents is becoming especially popular for operators in the field of perishable goods logistics. Nevertheless, the possibility of using the Northern Sea Route is significantly limited by the complexity of transporting cargo in the autumn-winter period due to the need for ice pilotage. Assessment of the competitiveness of the Northern Sea Route compared to traditional routes seems to be an important aspect of the formation of consumer preferences among the owners of perishable goods and operators of transportation in reefer containers. The paper proposes a method for assessing the competitiveness of the Northern Sea Route with respect to alternative routes, taking into account the specifics of transportation of perishable goods in reefer containers. Criteria and indicators of competitiveness of the compared routes are presented, covering the full range of economic and technological components that determine the handling and transportation of perishable goods in reefer containers.