Transport and Warehousing: notes

Methods

• Road: door to door and flexible, but limited load.
• Rail: cheap for heavy goods over long distances, but fixed routes.
• Air: fast, good for perishable or valuable goods, but costly.
• Water: cheap for bulk goods; Zimbabwe is landlocked, so goods use ports such as Beira.
• Pipeline: oil and water.

Warehousing

A warehouse stores goods until they are needed. It keeps supply steady, lets goods be bought in bulk, and protects them.

• Bonded warehouse: holds imports until customs duty is paid.

Common mistake

Pick transport by the goods, speed, cost and distance, not by price alone.