SHIPPING CONTAINER

Shipping containers are designed, of course, for the shipping of goods worldwide. Containers have been used to transport goods since the 18th century & the dawn of the industrial revolution but it was only in the 1960s with the move towards the global standardisation of the container when they formally conformed to ISO standards(International Organisation for Standardisation) that the shipping container came into its own.

The standardisation of the shipping container has truly revolutionised world trade & in turn led to seismic socio-economic & political transformations by enabling goods to be transported easily between different types of transportation with minimal handling (inter- modal transport) For example China would not now be the world's third largest economy & an emerging political super power were it not for the fact that it can export it's manufactured goods cheaply to its worldwide markets. It's no exaggeration to say that "globalisation" as defined as a global economic, political & cultural worldwide process of integration has been driven by the humble steel box.

If you want a symbol of environmental devastation, , the trampling of diverse cultures by the americanisation of the world or the exploitation of the third world populations you need look no further than a shipping container! On the other hand the shipping container may be a symbol of economic prosperity & eco-friendly housing.

The shipping container is certainly a fascinating & controversial subject!

If you want to learn more about the humble shipping container & how it changed the world we recommend - The Box: How the Shipping container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
by Marc Levinson