How a simple metal box changed the dynamics, economy of production and logistics of goods all over the world
In the second half of the 20th century, an innovation appeared that changed the way of doing business in the world. Some of the companies that have bet on this tool have been very successful, while others have gone bankrupt. But in the end, it helped accelerate a globalization that had already been going on for centuries.
And it's not about software, it's about the shipping industry, and in particular an innovation you might not have thought much about — the shipping container. Former Economist editor Mark Levinson's book is mostly about globalization, but there is another, much larger story that concerns business and philanthropy in general.
Bill Gates, author of the book "How to avert climate catastrophe"
Source: Gatesnotes. The blog of Bill Gates
For centuries, sea transportation was slow and expensive: ships were loaded and unloaded manually one box or bag at a time. Until 1956, the shipping tycoon Malcolm McLean had an idea: why not put the whole trailer on the ship? And when the crane lifted 58 truck bodies onto the old tanker for the first time, a revolution took place in the world economy and logistics.
Is it true that the shipping container has taken away jobs and led to port closures? What is the connection between containerization and the development of the world economy? How and what are transported in containers now, and why is it much easier to send three tons of cargo to the other end of the country than to order lunch delivery to your home?
