What is the difference between import export business and transportation business?

Merchandise trade is a completely different business model than the carriage of merchandise trade. Capital expenditures is probably the most relevant difference as it takes vast amounts of these resources to equip a carrier with a fleet of ships, airplanes, trains or trucks. In addition to this direct capital outlays needed by a transportation company there is an enormous amount of infrastructure required to support the operation of ships, airplanes, trains and trucks that carry freight traded around the globe.