The shipping traffic which transport terminals handle is directly related to the markets they service as these ports are transshipment points. The area over which these ports draw their business is considered to be the hinterland. Hinterland logistics deal with freight flows and involves timing, expediency, mode and frequency of services: the supply network dynamic. The performance of logistics networks determines the competitiveness of global supply chains considerably, as production, distribution and consumption is linked. As a result of mass customization in response to product and market segmentation of logistics networks, distribution systems is adapting and taking advantage of the flexibility of supply network dynamics with the decoupling of order and delivery regarding order fulfillment. Amazon and Wal-Mart, ‘Duking’ it Out with Aggressive Delivery Policies Taking advantage of the latest technology in hinterland logistics are some of the biggest retail firms on the planet. Wal-Mart and Amazon.com are in fierce competition through the end of the 2012 holiday season in ‘same day delivery wars’. Wal-Mart is unrivaled in its US retail dominance, but Amazon.com is running a close second as the e-commerce giant will hit some $70 billion in sales by year’s end. Amazon’s sales increased another 29% at the…
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