Senco Electronics Company $($Senco$)$ is a U$.$S$.-$based manufacturer of personal computers and other electronic equipment. Current assembly operations are still located in the United States and primarily serve the U$.$S$.$ market. Transportation in the United States from Senco sites to its customers is primarily performed by motor carriers. Rising costs in its U$.$S$.$ operations caused Senco to evaluate the construction of a new assembly plant in China. Subsequently, Senco decided to also consider Vietnam. Jim Beierlein, the new executive vice president of supply chain management for Senco, is concerned with how Senco will transport its products from Asia to the United States. $$We$$ve had the luxury of a well$-$developed ground transportation infrastructure in the United States to move our products. Now we will be faced with moving enormous quantities of electronic products across several thousand miles of ocean. We really don$$t have that much experience with other modes of transportation.$$