Happy 50th Birthday, Big Metal Boxes!!!
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Fifty years ago today, the
age of containerization began.
Here's how Marc Levinson, author of
"The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger," described the impact of the event in an excellent column in yesterday's Financial Times:
news.ft.com/cms/s/8c05da96-d3f7-11da-b2f3-0000779e2340.html/
It may not be printed in red on your calendar, but April 26 is an important date in economic history. Fifty years ago, the Ideal-X , a war-surplus oil tanker with a steel frame welded above its deck, loaded 58 aluminium containers at a dock in Newark, New Jersey. Five days later, the ship steamed into Houston, Texas, where trucks took on the metal boxes and carried them to their destinations. .
Photo: 20-foot (1 TEU) containers stacked in Alameda, California
NOTE: I've created a new group for posting images of containers, container terminals, container ships, and container-based architecture. It's called Big Metal Box . Please join in!
Comments
wow... very interesting. I always liked these
rectangular pals -even before my
International Commerce work-. And I like
pallets too -talking logistic materials and
tools which make everything easier-, for
minimal interior decor they look great. Not
simply cool for cargo.
Posted 25 months ago.
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It's no exaggeration to say that the switch
to containerization did for moving atoms what
the switch to silicon did for moving digital
bits.
Posted 25 months ago.
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Shipping containers = packet data of stuff
Posted 25 months ago.
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You may need to copy and paste the link in
order to read the full article. Containerisation is a remarkable achievement.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of its
history is that no one foresaw how the box
would change everything it touched, from
ships and ports to patterns of global trade.
Containerisation is a monument to the most
powerful law in economics, that of
unanticipated consequences.
Posted 25 months ago.
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I heard a story on this on the radio
yesterday. Great pic !
Posted 25 months ago.
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Hah, I was just about to mention the FT
article (my fav paper!) until I saw you had
already mentioned it...
Posted 25 months ago.
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I love containers so much I bought stock in
Mobile Mini. :)
Posted 25 months ago.
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I really want to build a house designed out
of old shippng containers -- prefab recycled
housing! There's a cool link here
Posted 25 months ago.
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NOTE: I've created a new group for posting
images of containers, container terminals,
container ships, and container-based
architecture. It's called Big Metal Box .
Posted 25 months ago.
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Sweet. We just cut one in half in our
studio:
Posted 25 months ago.
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Very cool. Containerized freight is one of my
favorite inventions. Thanks for the invite
to the new group!
Posted 25 months ago.
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Thanks for bringing that to my Attention!
Posted 25 months ago.
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Would be great if you kould post a Link to
your nice Group in the Ferropool + some Infos
to this Invention. Thanks and Greetings.
Posted 25 months ago.
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My humble contribution!
Posted 25 months ago.
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This would be such a great photo for
Container Living, if there were such a
magazine.
Posted 25 months ago.
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Box Life!
Posted 25 months ago.
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Boxing!
Posted 25 months ago.
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I've just curated a show with 6 artists
installing sites specific work in 20 footers.
They're awesome inside and out.
Posted 25 months ago.
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H
Posted 25 months ago.
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Superb reflections!!
Posted 25 months ago.
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Hooray for Big Metal Boxes!
Posted 25 months ago.
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Apparently there's some discussion about the
roots of the container. The Port of Vancouver
is pining for some credit, and the Scots are
claiming that their original cylindrical cans
should take the invention prize.
Posted 25 months ago.
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Great shot and article.fabprefab.com , it has tons of links to prefab houses,
great photos, and smart ways to use shipping
containers.
Posted 22 months ago.
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Interesting image and description. Thanks for
posting.
Posted 20 months ago.
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Your headline just made me laugh out loud.
Posted 12 months ago.
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You are invited to add this image to www.flickr.com/groups/containers
Posted 12 months ago.
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cool information - thanks
Posted 12 months ago.
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But what are they filled with?
Posted 11 months ago.
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The Atlantic Magazine cover this month is a
tribute to boxes. I think. Anyway, there's
a gazillion of em on the cover.
Posted 11 months ago.
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These containers are terrific. Everyone says
how way over code they are when it comes to
strength, and how they're practically
indestructible for use in hurricane zones -
but they are able to float and I think they'd
be great if properly outfitted to work as
emergency shelters in flood zones. Really
all they would need is properly sealed doors
and some method of tethering them beneath to
a proper anchor and they would float with a
family safe inside. A ladder inside to a
hatch on the roof would allow egress for when
helicopter rescue or boats arrived, and a
ladder on the outside would allow the
occupants to safely get down to the waiting
boats. One site I think is good in central
Florida is www.container-creations.com ". Right now they're doing concession stands
and press boxes, but they have plans to build
office space and other things.
Posted 5 months ago.
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Nice narration. Nice shot.
Posted 4 months ago.
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