5. Transport

The logistics team will need to organise international and national transport options for the relief operations. Transport is the link in the logistics chain that ensures humanitarian assistance reaches its destination.

The supply chain usually involves different stages of moving goods with different transport options required at each stage, such as:

• bringing relief supplies into the country
• moving people
• moving relief supplies from main warehouse to secondary warehouses or distribution points.

Getting emergency supplies from their point of origin to their final destination involves the combined use of different means of transport over air, land or water. Transport is also categorised as either national or international.

The logistics team must ensure that supplies reach their destination, safely and on time. Transport planning for relief operations must therefore consider the best option for getting supplies from one place to another and identify alternative means, methods and routes to counteract any identified risks associated with the primary means of transport.

When deciding which means of transport to use, consider:

• How urgently are the supplies needed?
• What types of supplies are being shipped?
• How large and heavy is the shipment?
• What distances must be traversed?
• The cost (in consultation with the budget holder).

There are four principal modes of transportation for delivering supplies: road, air, maritime (coastal, inter-island, river) and rail. The tonnage that can be transported, speed at which that happens, and cost per ton for transportation are interrelated and should be kept in mind when making decisions on which mode(s) to select.

When planning and managing road transportation of supplies to programme sites, consider:

• available routes and their conditions
• possible trans-shipment points
• constraint on routes such as weight limits on bridges
• potential security risks to personnel and goods
• usability of the routes year-round, given the different weather conditions
• telecommunication facilities between key points along each route
• the type, capacity and cost of fuel and maintenance facilities
• time for the return trip on each, including loading and offloading
• possible bottlenecks on each route, and potential solutions in terms of cost and time to resolve number and size of vehicles required

Once you’ve decided on the means of transport to be used and supplier (according to the budget and the level of urgency), you will need to negotiate and draft contracts with transporters.

The contract must include:

• name and address of transport company, and details of the vehicle
• unit price of transport (usually per tonne per km, or per truck per km) unless it’s a daily rental.
• When a daily rental is used, negotiate driver, fuel & repair coverage (it is better to include it)
• the total price (inclusive of tax and any extras)
• terms of payment
• exact loading address
• address of destination and contact person
• details of clearing agent if needed
• itinerary
• description of the articles to carry (volume/weight)
• insurance or liability for damaged goods
• delivery note and packing list.

A general principle for transportation is never to pay for the service in advance. Payment is done when the freight has arrived and the contents checked.

When deciding on the terms of the contract for road transport, consider the options in section 5.4.1.

For international transportation, insurance is imperative. International transportation agreements define maximal liabilities for carriers that can be far under the real value of the goods. Therefore, insure or ask for insurance of the freight from insurance companies. In volatile situations or high risk zones, insurance of vehicles, cargo and 3rd party should be considered.

The inclusion of an ‘Incoterms’ should be done at the procurement stage and agreed with the supplier. Incoterms are a set of international rules, issued by the International Chamber of Commerce, for the interpretation of the chief terms of delivery used in foreign trade contracts. Incoterms define the rights and obligations of the seller and the buyer with respect to the:

• party responsible for packing, transport, insurance, transport, handling, customs
• party that pays for the above mentioned activities
• transfer of the risk (at which point and time the risk passes from seller to buyer).

Annex 15.4 Incoterms

Ensure that appropriate transport documents are provided and accurate.

Before sending the supplies:

• the sender has to make sure the packaging is strong enough for transportation and handling
• the sender and carrier (or representatives) have to be present during the loading
• for contracted transport, the sender has to carefully verify the identification of the carrier and registration of the vehicle
• the sender has to prepare all necessary documentation before the loading
• all this information has to be mentioned on the delivery note.

When receiving a consignment:

• check the documentation (delivery note, external order form or purchase order)
• check the quantity and quality (damaged goods, strange smell or aspect, torn parcels, etc.)
• notify the transporter of any discrepancy
• send appropriate receiving documents to the sender
• ensure proper records are kept of all transport operations
• keep clear and well-documented files on all ongoing transport operations and archives.

International shipments enter a country through a seaport, an international airport or a land customs point. Countries control the flow of their imports and generate revenue through customs inspections, duties and taxes. Government customs agents will not release imported goods until all duties are paid or a customs exemption certificate is provided. If clearance action is not taken promptly, goods may be held in a ‘bonded’ warehouse and accrue storage charges.

In some specific cases when a state of emergency has been declared, the local authorities can grant free access with simplified custom procedures to import relief items for a determined period of time.

Generally, customs clearance can begin once the shipping documents arrive. Having the correct documentation in place before the consignment arrives allows quicker clearances, with minimum expenses. Required documents vary between countries and requirements may change.

The CO or emergency logistician should stay up to date on changing documentation and procedure requirements, including responsibilities and routing of supplies. To avoid unnecessary delays and costs, the procedure should be well documented, with a clear understanding of handling costs and other fees.

It is highly advisable to contract a clearing or forwarding agent to handle the complexities involved in receiving and clearing international consignments. Forwarding agents usually provide the most comprehensive service, including transportation services to carry the goods from the port to the final destination.