The History Of The Humble Shipping Container
Shipping containers make for great storage units, they’re compact yet spacious, secure whilst unobtrusive. Shipping containers haven’t always been used as storage spaces; unsurprisingly, they started life traversing the Seven Seas on container ships. We now have a range of sea containers in east London that we use as storage units, here at Store That E14. So, what’s their history? Why was there a need for sea containers in the first place?
When Were They First Used?
Whilst there were prototype examples invented at the turn of the 20th century, the first truly successful companies came about in the mid-1900s. Prior to this, the cargo was transported far more inefficiently leaving plenty of room for improvement. By 1968, shipping containers (as we know them today) had globally defined dimensions and were in mass use across the globe by the 1970s. The first purpose-built container ship launched from Japan in 1968 and could hold 752 of these newly standardised shipping containers. By contrast, today’s largest container ship has a cargo capacity of 21,413 shipping units. A truly staggering increase. Store That doesn’t have quite that many, but we have enough sea container rentals for whatever your storage needs may be!
What Were The Effects Of Containerization?
The global effects of this standardisation of shipping containers and haulage were huge and far-reaching. The overall costs of haulage were drastically reduced as a result and transportation times improved massively. The newly standardised containers made for easier unloading and more efficient processing. By 2009, around 90% of the world’s cargo was being transported via shipping containers on cargo ships. To have reached such a mass standardisation in such a short period of time, is a testament to the feats of human engineering and ingenuity. At Store That E14, we have invested in brand new shipping containers for our customers and even though these containers have been built to withstand the lashing seas for 20/25 years, we have gone even further to protect our customers’ goods by insulating the roofs and adding extra vents to the sides. These fabulous containers form part of our large range of units on-site in the Canary Wharf area; home of the original port of London.
The Future Of The Shipping Container
The haulage, transport and storage industries are all constantly evolving. The progression of AI and automated systems is starting to work its way into the shipping container and freight industry. We may even end up at a point whereby container ships have the same self-steering technologies that some cars are starting to possess. So, if you’d like to find out more about Store That’s storage sea containers in east London, then get in touch today on 020 7515 1300 or visit our website www.storethat.co.uk