Door-to-Door Service: Efficient and Reliable Way to Transport Your Cargo

Transportation is an essential component of the supply chain, and every industry participant strives to receive the most modern transport services at reduced prices. Transport logistics costs are skyrocketing these days for a variety of reasons. Inadequate planning, lack of transparency, and poor decision-making can lead to higher prices, missed deliveries, unhappy customers, and loss of business.

Listed below are 6 proper ways to decrease your logistics costs.

1. Consolidation of supplies

The company's delivery rates are determined depending on weight, distance, and other factors. Consolidation of shipments is one of the strategies suppliers use to make fewer trips and profit from lower rates on bulk orders.

2. Decentralized warehouse services

Another way to reduce transport costs is to use multiple decentralized warehouses. Having goods in decentralized warehouses ensures that they are already in proximity to the customer, allowing greater flexibility and shorter delivery times. Professional inventory management and communication are essential to plan optimal transport routes and save costs by knowing exactly how much and what types of goods are in stock.

3. Automatic container loading system

When handling bulky and heavy goods, loading and unloading containers is a critical part of the workflow. Using an automatic container loading system is a great way to reduce transport and labor costs, avoid product damage, and increase productivity by being able to load or unload all goods at once.

4. Use of technology

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown unequivocally that documenting processes on paper is no longer relevant. There are enterprises for which the digitalization of processes may seem like a significant change in material terms. However, in this case, the benefits outweigh the costs. Digital records give logistics managers a better understanding of the entire supply chain. Computerized record-keeping allows companies to find and correct shortcomings that are costing them money.

5. Reduce the size of your vehicle fleet

Finding effective solutions for fleet cost management can be quite a challenge. It is possible to cover more territory in less time by effectively distributing orders between available vehicles. When fewer trips are required to accommodate more deliveries, it is possible to decommission vehicle assets, further reducing costs.

6. Regular vehicle maintenance

Preventive maintenance can help you avoid breakdowns and keep your vehicle in top condition. With the right regular vehicle maintenance program, you can keep track of how far you've driven, how many times you've stopped, and how much fuel you've used. Good service helps keep vehicles running, resulting in lower fuel consumption and energy wastage, reducing transport costs.

At the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held on October 7 in Gabala, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev underscored the country’s growing significance as a central link in Eurasian transport and logistics corridors, emphasizing the importance of deeper integration among Turkic states through connectivity and trade.

Azerbaijan — a Bridge Between Türkiye and Central Asia

In his address, President Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan plays a key role in both the East–West and North–South transport corridors, serving as a vital bridge between Türkiye and Central Asia. He noted that Azerbaijan’s active participation in major transport projects has transformed it into an indispensable logistics hub across geographic and economic dimensions.

“Azerbaijan is an active player in the East-West and North-South transport corridors, serving as a vital bridge between Türkiye and Central Asia across geographic, economic, transport, and other domains,” the President said.

Rapid Growth of the Middle Corridor

President Aliyev highlighted the remarkable growth of cargo movement through the Middle Corridor, which increased by nearly 90% since 2022, accompanied by a significant reduction in transit time. This, he said, reflects the success of coordinated infrastructure and policy measures among Turkic states.

Azerbaijan’s strong infrastructure base — including the Caspian Sea’s largest trade fleet, the Port of Alat (soon to reach a capacity of 25 million tons per year), the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, nine international airports, and the region’s largest cargo airline — underpins this success and reinforces Azerbaijan’s role as a gateway between Europe and Asia.

Zangezur Corridor: A New Artery of Connectivity

A major highlight of President Aliyev’s remarks was the announcement of the Zangezur Corridor’s opening, described as one of the most important outcomes of the recent Washington summit.

“This corridor is significant as a new transport artery and serves as a second route within both the Middle Corridor and the North-South Corridor,” the President noted.

The Zangezur Corridor is expected to enhance interconnectivity among Turkic states and further integrate the South Caucasus into regional and global transport networks. It will create a continuous logistics chain from Central Asia through Azerbaijan and Türkiye to Europe.

Energy and Green Transport Integration

President Aliyev also connected transport development with energy security and sustainability, announcing that Azerbaijan is working with Turkic partners to develop a green energy corridor linking Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Europe. This initiative complements ongoing efforts to expand renewable energy production — projected to reach 40% of total generation by 2030.

A Vision for Deeper Economic Integration

Beyond infrastructure, the Azerbaijani President emphasized that investment and cooperation among Turkic countries are expanding. Azerbaijan has already invested over $20 billion in the economies of fraternal states, including the establishment of joint investment funds with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to finance future development projects.

“These initiatives serve to deepen economic integration within the Turkic world, strengthening cooperation among our friendly and brotherly nations in energy and transport, and ensuring the sustainable development of our region,” Aliyev said.

Azerbaijan’s Leadership in Regional Logistics

The President’s speech reinforced Azerbaijan’s role as both a connector and coordinator in Eurasian transport. With multimodal infrastructure, strategic investments, and political will, the country continues to position itself as a leading logistics hub linking the Turkic world to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

As Azerbaijan assumes the chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States, the focus on connectivity, logistics, and sustainable transport development is expected to remain at the forefront of its regional agenda — building on the momentum of projects like the Middle Corridor and the Zangezur Corridor.

Transporting goods across borders involves global competition and multiple levels of requirements. Optimal solutions, staying up to date with strategies and rules, and using the latest technology are essential for international market success.

According to analysts and experts in this field, the most important points are the following:

Requirements and procedures in this area are constantly changing, and it is necessary to know about changes in international norms and rules firsthand in order to avoid delays in both production and sale of goods. Regular review of these rules will reduce their impact on exports to zero.

Don't forget that all documents must be in order, always! Echoing the previous principle, the paperwork required for global delivery can become an obstacle if you do not have up-to-date knowledge of international legal norms. Incorrect or incomplete documents tend to delay shipment and implementation, creating the risk of cancellation and damage to the company's reputation.

Using free trade zones while adhering to the standards and guidelines of international trade agreements, both in the production and distribution of goods, helps to achieve a regional advantage for your business.

In the international trade system, innovative technologies open up new opportunities, and this is an indisputable fact. Through the use of technology, some costs are reduced, which, in turn, stimulates the growth of commercial activity. Here we are talking about transport costs, logistics costs, costs for port services and customs clearance, for obtaining the necessary information, and transaction costs. A striking example is artificial intelligence and self-driving cars, which help reduce transportation costs.

Of course, the important point is not so much the choice of the market for offering products, as the adaptation to it. You will need to analyze it, make sure it fits your business, determine how easy it is to reach it and determine whether it is worth it.

International trade is a complex activity, so it is important for exporting companies to keep these best practices in mind as well as take advantage of reduced logistics costs to increase market share and succeed in new ones.