The invention of the shipping container was a revolutionary idea. The container was good for the global economy. The shipping container also improved the rate of industrialization. The development resulted in the production of many products for every global consumer. Most of the targeted consumers were thousands of miles away. Most of the port operations included loading and offloading cargoes.
The process required many causal and permanent workers. The practice was also costly and time-consuming. The introduction of the shipping container was critical towards dealing with this challenge. The metallic container was very simple. The standardized size of the container made every shipping process successful. This approach made transportation effective than ever before.
The invention of the container also improved the nature of operations in every seaport. The world experienced a new development thus promoting economic growth and globalization. The above scenario explains why shipping has become an important aspect of the global economy (“Globalization and the Maritime World in the 20th Century” 1). Shipping ensures every economy is running smoothly.
The container also revolutionized the global shipping process. The invention of the shipping container led to new developments. Every society changed the shape and structure of its seaports. Many manufacturing companies produced new trucks that could transport these containers. This process improved the nature and speed of transportation. The container also reduced the rate of wastage.
The original culture of seaports changed immediately (“The World The Box Made” 4). The container made it easier to handle different products and equipment. Many companies installed new cranes in every seaport. These cranes would handle and move these shipping containers from point A to B.
This description explains why the shipping container revolutionized the shipping industry. The above development was essential towards the success and growth of every global economy.
Effects on Manufacturing, Labor, and Consumer Costs
The invention and introduction of the shipping container resulted on numerous effects on manufacturing, consumer, and labor costs. The container forced many manufacturing companies to invent new strategies in order to handle their products. The shipping container resulted in the creation of new packaging techniques. This process increased the costs incurred by many manufacturing companies.
The use of these containers reduced the costs associated with shipping operations. Many companies were able to ship their products from one location to another (“The World The Box Made” 5). The handling technique for the containers minimized the risks associated with product loss or damage. The introduction of the container also affected the costs associated with labor.
Many shipping and processing companies incurred increased labor costs before the introduction of the container. Many ports used to handle most of their cargoes manually. This practice delayed the speed of every shipping operation. The container reduced these labor costs significantly. This practice increased the level of profits recorded by every company.
The process also increased unemployment in many countries and societies. The shipping container also affected the nature and level of consumer costs. Most of the consumers paid extra costs for every shipping operation. The introduction of the shipping container improved every practice associated with maritime operations. The consumer was now paying reduced costs for transportation.
The process also reduced the time required for transportation. This fact explains why the introduction of the shipping container reduced most of the costs incurred by manufacturers and consumers. The container also affected the economic positions of many workers. The invention of the container displaced many workers in every shipping company.
Works Cited
“Globalization and the Maritime World in the 20th Century.” n.p. 30 April 2010. Lecture.
“The World The Box Made.” The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Smaller. Ed. Marc Levinson. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2006. 1-15. Print.