Efficiency optimization of the transportation supply chain activity: the maritime option for Volkswagen Autoeuropa

Abstract

With the current pressures for companies to reduce their CO2 emissions levels and the worldwide competition more fierce than ever it becomes critical for companies to optimize their processes and improve supply chain efficiency. Develop solutions that could satisfy both these requirements is mandatory to improve and sustain today’s businesses. For Portuguese industries with high transportation costs the maritime option has become increasingly reliable, experiencing a huge structural and technological improvement in the past decades. This work project aims the study of maritime transportation feasibility for Volkswagen Autoeuropa company; it combines the strong theoretical background with a data analysis and multi-scenario assessment. The methodologies used were the billing analysis, at the beginning, then followed by a thorough analysis of transportation and inventory costs and volumes which led to a range of potential supplies to be transported by maritime. At the end the result was 3 possible routes which demonstrate after the analysis only one be a viable option. It was performed also a CO2 analysis, a risk analysis and consequent contingency plan in order to finalize a complete approach to this maritime project