THE GEOGRAPHY OF TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
| Challenge | Issues |
| Container preparation | Pre-use cleaning (avoid contamination). Post-use cleaning. Dedicated containers? |
| Container loading, unloading and transloading | Bulks difficult to load horizontally. Vertical loading / unloading (equipment). Transloading issues. Source loading. |
| Weight | Limitations to about 30 tons (40 footer). 20 footer the preferable load unit (26-28 tons). |
| Weight distribution | Containership load (10-14 tons per TEU). Trade imbalances create mitigation strategies. |
| Land consumption at port terminals | Space consumption (4 times more than bulk) mitigated by velocity. |
| Existing distribution channels | Considerable accumulated investments (modes &
terminals). Established distribution practices. Modal shift inertia. |
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