Logistics is a fundamental component of the post-harvest processes, especially in the floricultural sector where the products have to be marketed in short times after the cutting because of their fragility. In the previous years, new approaches to efficiently manage the logistical function and to reduce costs and environmental impacts have been consolidated. In this paper, the investments for two different containers for flower transportation, one disposable and one reusable, are compared, considering a specific supply chain located in central Italy. All data were provided by stakeholders. These were divided into four groups: purchasing, administration, logistical and disposal costs. For the reusable containers, a reverse logistical system, to collect the return components, was hypothesised by using the network analysis tool of the geographic information system (GIS). Results show that the use of a reusable system, which assures a production with less waste and less environmental pressures, is also economically advantageous. Reusable containers involve an initial investment but became cheaper from the second year of the investment and also remained convenient, considering all the costs related to the return collection of the items. Reusable system permits a financial advantage of approximately 140k€ in total and 21k€ for each year, considering all the nine years of analysis. Logistics is responsible of the great contribution of total cost in both the reusable and the disposable container (88% and 76%), probably because of the high fragmentation in the delivery service to sale points. Reverse logistics represents the 17% of the reusable container total costs. Product delivery from FT to the DC. The number of pallets shipped from FT to the DC was calculated by the monthly list of orders, considering a transport with a truck loaded with a maximum of 18 pallets. The distance was determined finding the shortest route between the two points with NAT. Finally, the two values were multiplied for the cost per pallet per kilometre, provided by FT.Product delivery from the DC to SPs. In this case, the yearly cost for transportation was calculated for each SP considered in the SC. Single values were obtained multiplying the constant cost (provided by FT) for the number of pallets ordered and for the distance from the DC determined with NAT. 208 P. MENESATTI ET AL.
The European eel is a highly migratory fish. After the reproduction in the Sargasso Sea early larval-stages start a passive ocean migration towards European and Mediterranean continental waters. After several years as yellow eels, mature adults change to silver stage and then start their return trip. The trajectory of their backward migration is unknown, because of low probability of capturing migrating individuals, having this capture never been reported in the Mediterranean. Recently, 8 silver eels were collected in the Strait of Sicily. Using literature information about possible individual route and speed, their geographical position was projected up to the spawning site during reproductive season. Despite using optimal and continuous migration swimming speed, none of the specimens may have been able to reach the Sargasso Sea in time for mating. Subsequently, to identify putative Mediterranean areas from which eels could have been reaching the spawning grounds on time, a backward scenario was postulated using the previous scientific assumptions. Our results suggests that just a small quota of Mediterranean silver males successfully reaches the Sargasso area, and only females from the westernmost and central parts of the basin could be able to fruitfully pond their eggs during the supposed spawning period.
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