Cargo Supply Chain and Transport Modes course

100-hour self-study course

IATA’s Cargo Supply Chain and Transport Modes course builds the essential knowledge needed to understand today’s global supply chains, logistics operations, and the diverse modes of transport that keep cargo moving efficiently worldwide. Through practical, industry-relevant concepts, you will explore supply chain integration, freight forwarding services, multimodal transport operations, and the advantages of combining air, road, maritime and inland waterway corridors. The course also covers the principles of cargo unitization, containerization, and the safe carriage of dangerous goods by air, land and sea, while highlighting how organizations are reducing carbon emissions through sustainable transport strategies. By the end of the course, you will be equipped to recognize the scope of freight transport management, describe modal diversity and competitiveness, and apply key principles that support the performance and sustainability of the global cargo supply chain—making it ideal for professionals seeking to strengthen their expertise in logistics, freight operations, and multimodal cargo management across international markets.

Course code: CGC006EBEN01

Course format

• This is a self-study course, which will take you approximately 100 hours to complete, depending on your previous knowledge and experience.
• The course materials are provided in e-book format.
• You will have 12 months to complete the course and exam (enrollment validity), which starts from the date you purchase the course.
• The recommended level for this course is Entry-level and Intermediate.
• Performance will be based on an examination. Please refer to the Exam Information below for more details.

Please note: Once you have completed the exam you will no longer have access to the course content, and after the 12-month enrollment validity expires you will no longer have access to the course content, nor will you be able to take the exam.

Study with the help of an Instructor

If you would prefer to study this course with the help of a local trainer, enrol at an IATA Authorized Training Center near you.

Registration information

• Please refer to our payment methods and applicable taxes.
• When you click to purchase the course, you will be directed to log in to your Training Profile through our Customer Portal.
• Are you purchasing the course for several people at once? Please find out how on our Payment page.

Upon completing this course, the students will have the skills to:

• Identify the components of the supply chain business process integration
• Recognize the scope and functions of freight forwarding services
• Explain the advantages of multi-modal transportation
• Differentiate between the various types of transport corridors, including air, road, maritime and inland waterways
• Describe the principles of cargo unitization and carriage of dangerous goods
• Analyze the diversity of transport modes and the nature of modal competition
• Assess the strategies adopted by organizations and the transport industry to reduce carbon emissions

The key topics that are covered during this course include:

• Introduction to supply chain management
• Freight forwarding services
• Transport management
• Multimodal transport
• Unitization of cargo and transportation of dangerous goods
• Supply Chain Sustainability

This course is recommended for:

• Cargo agents
• Freight forwarders
• All staff involved in air cargo transport chain
• International Trade Students and newcomers to the Global Cargo Transport Industry

An IATA Certificate of Completion is awarded to participants who successfully pass the final exam.

Exam information

Please read the information about Unsupervised online-based assessment..

• Method: Unsupervised online-based assessment.
• Format: 60 multiple-choice questions. Open course book exam.
• Time Allowance: 3 hours
• Passing Grade: 60% correct answers
• Distinction Grade: 90% correct answers
• Number of exam attempts: 2