Shipping containers are some of the most underappreciated inventions of the 20th century. The world would likely have been a different place had these amazing creations not been invented. Their creation no doubt propelled an unprecedented boom in trade and commerce across the globe and helped mould the shipping industry into what it is today. Here are a few facts that will help you appreciate shipping containers and their impact on the industry:
- When were shipping containers invented
Shipping containers were designed in 1956. From the very beginning, they turned out to be something of a revolution. Instead of spending hours loading and unloading goods from ships onto trains and trucks, the containers made it easy for people to transport various types of products, both on land and on the sea.
- Who invented shipping containers?
The story behind shipping containers would be incomplete without mentioning Malcolm McLean, an American trucker who was the owner of one of the largest fleets in the South of America. Although his name is not often mentioned, his legacy, as the inventor of shipping containers, is still far reaching. McLean sought to standardise shipping, and his invention turned the dream of intermodal transportation into reality. That made it possible to quickly and easily load and unload goods between ship, train and truck.
- Shipping container sizes
The standard sizes for shipping containers are 20ft (6.06m) and 40ft (12.2m). This standardisation is what spurred developments in transportation that have occurred over the past century. Instead of using haphazard container sizes, the use of these standard sizes means that it is possible for shipping containers to be quickly moved from a ship onto a truck or train. However, while 20ft shipping container and 40ft shipping container are the standard sizes, there are shipping containers of other sizes as well.
- Biggest container ships
One of the biggest container ships is the MOL Triumph, which is owned by Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL), a Japanese company. The ship was manufactured by Samsung Heavy Industries and has a capacity of 20,170 TEUs. That is an astonishing twenty thousand plus shipping containers on one vessel. These kinds of ships are the way forward in a world where trade between various countries has been growing.
- Impact on trade
What most people do not realise is that ships drive around 90% of global trade, and most of the goods that are traded are carried in shipping containers. Their invention has truly had a significant impact on world trade.
- How long does a shipping container last?
Shipping containers are designed to have a lifespan of over ten years, during which they carry various types of goods across the high seas. Their life expectancy is, of course, dependent on the type of products that they are made to carry and on their frequency of use. A well-maintained shipping container could even last up to 20 years.