Why is the container a revolutionary invention?

Although the container looks very simple and effective, it is a revolutionary invention of the entire logistics.

It is said to be a revolution in logistics technology, not just because it reduces freight rates, it will also re-arrange the economic geography and have extremely far-reaching political consequences. The first globalization was driven by the steam engine, which was a very big change, while the second economic globalization was driven by the inconspicuous and low-tech container.

1. The role of the container

The goods shipped to a place are all gathered in a steel container with a length of 12 meters and a width and height of about 2 meters. In the past, at the dock, freight was all in bulk. A canvas bag the size of a hammock was hung on the hook of the large crane. The stevedores moved the goods into the large bag by manpower. After it was full, they were afraid that it would fall, so they had to cover it with a layer of wire mesh to tie it up. The crane lifted the bag of things onto the ship, and then the workers on the ship took the things in the bag down. The same is true when unloading. But with the container, it is much more convenient for us. All the items in a container must be unloaded at a port. And each container is the same size. When unloading, the whole container can be unloaded, so the cost is reduced.

2. Reduced logistics costs

The emergence of containers has led to a reduction in logistics costs, because the loading and unloading of containers is basically not affected by bad weather, the non-productive berthing time of ships is shortened, and the loading and unloading efficiency is high. The loading and unloading time is shortened. For the company, the sailing rate is increased and the cost of ship transportation is reduced. In addition, with fewer ships docking at the port, the efficiency becomes higher, and the income will increase accordingly.

Therefore, the emergence of containers has made our transportation more regular and more convenient, and the cost of transportation and loading and unloading has been reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of transportation and promoting economic development.