Exploring External Costs on the Example of Sea–Land Transport Chains of Refrigerated Cargo Between Spain and Poland

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article addresses an important practical issue related to the development of multimodal supply chains. It offers an analysis of transport scenarios in which selected factors such as cost, efficiency, and energy consumption are evaluated. This detailed examination of specific supply chain configurations provides valuable comparative data for both scientific research and practical applications. The authors adopt an approach established in the literature, enabling a comprehensive assessment of the impact of transport on the environment, public health, and infrastructure. A noteworthy aspect is the application of literature-based methods to estimate the external costs of transporting refrigerated cargo. The calculated cost values align with expectations and are methodologically sound, raising no concerns.

 

However, the article suffers from a significant shortcoming: it lacks a clear research thesis, does not explicitly outline a research method, and does not contribute new scientific insights. It represents an analysis of existing solutions supported by statistical data and parameter values from the literature and industry reports but falls short of achieving original scientific advancements. The authors rely on established methods applied to a specific case without introducing novel approaches or findings.

Author Response

Comments: Lacks a clear research thesis, does not explicitly outline a research method, and does not contribute new scientific insights. It represents an analysis of existing solutions supported by statistical data and parameter values from the literature and industry reports but falls short of achieving original scientific advancements. The authors rely on established methods applied to a specific case without introducing novel approaches or findings.

 

Response: Thank you for point this out. We agree with this comment. Therefore, the manuscript contributes to the development of a new approach to assessing the competitiveness of sea-land refrigerated cargo transport chains in relation to direct land transport. The presented research will allow for the preparation of a proposal for a model for assessing the competitiveness of sea-land refrigerated cargo transport chains. As part of the implementation of the new approach, a comparison of the external costs was made, and in the final part, the social costs for sea-land refrigerated cargo transport chains and direct road transport on the routes between Valencia and Warsaw were also made.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors 1 I consider the need to review the theoretical framework in order to visualize in more depth the importance of the study and in particular the type of maritime and land transport. Making clear the intended contributions of this study. It can be seen that we are working with data from a report that has already been carried out. What is new in this study? What is the best theoretical model to follow? 2- Methodology is not sufficiently developed, stating that it is ‘based on the methodology included in the Handbook on the external costs of transport report’. It should have more detail (e.g. data collection, data analysis, etc.) 3--Review the bibliographical citations (page 5) and from there on, e.g: “non-alcoholic, alcoholic beverages and vinegar (22), pharmaceutical products (30)”. 4- Tables 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 17 and 25 should be cited in the text by their number. 5- A brief explanation of the analysis to be carried out and the structure to be followed should be included in section 4 external cost analysis before the type of costs. The presentation should be improved 6- Conclusions should be more consistent with the arguments presented

 

Author Response

Comment 1. I consider the need to review the theoretical framework in order to visualize in more depth the importance of the study and in particular the type of maritime and land transport. Making clear the intended contributions of this study. It can be seen that we are working with data from a report that has already been carried out. What is new in this study? What is the best theoretical model to follow?

Response:  Thank you for your insightful comments. We have revised the theoretical framework to provide a more comprehensive discussion on the importance of the study and its context within sustainable transport research. The study’s novelty lies in its comprehensive analysis of external costs, integrating a wider range of cost factors than traditionally analyzed. This work also applies the social cost criterion to evaluate and compare transport solutions, offering actionable insights for sustainable development. We have clarified the theoretical model used and refined the study’s contributions to ensure its unique value is evident (it’s added at the end of the Introduction section).

Comment 2. Methodology is not sufficiently developed, stating that it is ‘based on the methodology included in the Handbook on the external costs of transport report’. It should have more detail (e.g. data collection, data analysis, etc.)

Response: Thank you for your valuable feedback. We have added a dedicated Methodology section to provide more detail about the approach taken in the study. This section now includes a detailed explanation of the data collection and analysis processes, as well as the specific steps used to calculate external costs. Additionally, the data sources have been explicitly mentioned in Section 3 (Assumptions and input data for the Case Study), including OpenMaps and Searoutes, which were used to determine transport distances and performance. This ensures greater transparency and clarity regarding the methodology and the basis for our analysis. We believe these additions address your concerns and strengthen the overall robustness of the study.

Comment 3. Review the bibliographical citations (page 5) and from there on, e.g: “non-alcoholic, alcoholic beverages and vinegar (22), pharmaceutical products (30)”.

Response: 

Thank you for your observation but the numbers “(22)” and “(30)” are not bibliographical citations and refer to Combined Nomenclature (CN) codes used for the classification of goods in international trade. We have clarified this in the article.

Comment 4. Tables 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 17 and 25 should be cited in the text by their number.

Response:  Thank you for pointing this out. We have revised the text to ensure that Tables 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 17, and 24 (25 was cited) are explicitly cited by their respective numbers in the relevant sections of the manuscript.

Comment 5. A brief explanation of the analysis to be carried out and the structure to be followed should be included in section 4 external cost analysis before the type of costs. The presentation should be improved

Response:  Thank you for your comment. We have added a brief explanation of the analysis methodology in Section 5 (External cost analysis), before introducing the types of external costs. This explanation outlines the structure of the analysis and clarifies the steps followed to evaluate both road and sea-land transport costs.

Comment 6. Conclusions should be more consistent with the arguments presented

Response:  Thank you for your comment regarding the consistency of the conclusions. We believe the conclusions are already aligned with the arguments presented in the article. Specifically, we emphasized that the external costs of sea-land transport were 73.8% lower than those of road-only transport, as demonstrated in the analysis. Furthermore, we discussed the significance of these findings by highlighting how this substantial cost difference underscores the environmental and economic advantages of sea-land transport chains.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper is to identify sea-land transport chains of refrigerated cargo against the background of direct road transport on the Valencia-Warsaw route based on the analysis of external costs with particular consideration of the external costs of energy production in road and sea transport. Fruits and vegetables were assumed to be a group of refrigerated cargo in the study. The considerations so far have shown that many refrigerated cargo operators transported between Spain and Poland are only sometimes guided by full and up-to-date knowledge of the amount of external costs in their transport decisions. It seems reasonable to undertake information activities at the national level addressed to cargo operators and organizations associating them, aimed at presenting the total costs of both direct and external transport

The overall theme of this article is well structured and logically clear. However, there are some problems with the article.

1. The paper needs to be fleshed out with an introductory section and the contribution or innovation of the paper needs to be clearly highlighted and emphasized.

2. What makes this paper different from other papers? What are the advantages of the methods used?

3. Adjusting the size of the diagrams and the font size in the paper.

4. The part of external cost analysis in this paper lacks comparison with other costs.

5. What are the reasons for choosing eight types of costs in the paper?

6. The references in the paper, for the most part, are not from recent years and the research is not new enough.

7. There are other formatting issues in the paper.

8. There are some spelling and grammar errors in this paper. Please correct them.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Comments 1 & 2. The paper needs to be fleshed out with an introductory section and the contribution or innovation of the paper needs to be clearly highlighted and emphasized. What makes this paper different from other papers? What are the advantages of the methods used?

Response: We agree that a clear introduction is essential for readers who may not be familiar with our research topic and that’s why we already have one (Introduction section). Addressing the other issues, we have modified the final part of Introduction, highlighting advantages of the methodologies used. We also emphasize how our paper differs from existing approaches by focusing not only on traditional costs but also social and environmental costs.

 

Comment 3. Adjusting the size of the diagrams and the font size in the paper.

Response: Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify that the font size used in the paper aligns with the template specifications, and the diagrams have been adjusted to the correct size as well.

 

Comment 4. The part of external cost analysis in this paper lacks comparison with other costs.

Response: Thank you for your valuable feedback. The study deliberately focuses on external costs because the research objective was to assess the environmental and social impacts of different transport solutions. Internal costs were not included in the analysis as they are already well-documented in the literature and are typically reflected in operational expenses. By concentrating on external costs, we aim to address a gap in understanding their significance in decision-making processes for sustainable transport.

 

Comment 5. What are the reasons for choosing eight types of costs in the paper?

Response: The selection of the eight cost types - accidents, noise, air pollution, climate change, congestion, energy production, habitat damage, and infrastructure - was based on the methodology outlined in the Handbook on External Costs of Transport (2019) by the European Commission. These categories were chosen as they comprehensively reflect the social and environmental externalities associated with transport systems, ensuring a robust and policy-relevant analysis.

 

Comment 6. The references in the paper, for the most part, are not from recent years and the research is not new enough.

Response: Thank you for your observation. While it is true that many references are not recent, they were intentionally included because they establish the foundational concepts and methodologies central to this research. For example, the The Geography of Transport Systems (2016) or the Handbook on the External Costs of Transport (2019) provide essential theoretical frameworks for understanding transport chains and cost structures. These concepts remain relevant and widely used in contemporary studies.

Nevertheless, we have also incorporated recent citations, such as Maritime Trade: Riding the Waves of Commerce and Weathering the Storms of Disruption (2024), to ensure the research reflects current trends and ongoing advancements in sustainability and transport analysis. Balancing foundational and recent works allows the paper to present a well-rounded perspective that combines established knowledge with new insights.

 

Comment 7. There are other formatting issues in the paper.

Response: We appreciate your feedback on potential formatting issues that may have been overlooked during our review process. We will carefully re-examine our document for any inconsistencies or areas requiring improvement and correct them.

 

Comment 8. There are some spelling and grammar errors in this paper. Please correct them.

Response: Thank you for highlighting these minor errors. We’ve gone through the text carefully to catch and correct any spelling or grammar issues, making sure the document is polished and professionally presented.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

You have made a great effort, my congratulations,  however, I note that no bibliographical reference has been included in the conclusions, which would reinforce your results.

 

Author Response

Commment 1

You have made a great effort, my congratulations,  however, I note that no bibliographical reference has been included in the conclusions, which would reinforce your results

Response:

Thank you for your kind words and constructive feedback. I will revise the conclusions to include relevant bibliographical references that support and strengthen the results presented. This will provide a clearer context for the findings and link them to existing research in the field