Who Invented the Shipping Container? - Keith Tantlinger and the Modernization of Trade

There are more than 20 million shipping containers in transit at sea right now, and even more traveling domestically over land. While humankind has been shipping goods overseas for thousands of years, secure shipping containers are a relatively new invention and, thus, the person who invented the shipping container should be celebrated.
Intermodal container shipping just celebrated its 65th anniversary this year. Intermodal shipping refers to any type of shipping that involves multiple forms of transportation, including land, sea, air, and rail. Thanks to the invention of the humble shipping container, intermodal shipping was revolutionized in the 20th century and revolutionized the 20th century in turn.
Before the invention of the shipping container, break-bulk shipping was the norm. This process included handling individually counted units, packaged into wooden crates, sacks, or bags. Each individual unit would have been loaded on the ship separately, often without any machinery.
The labor-intensive process of break-bulk shipping necessitated a lot of manpower, as most of the cargo had to be handled manually. Loading and unloading a single ship could take weeks, as opposed to today’s hours or, at most, a few days. The seemingly simple process of loading and unloading cargo was significantly stymieing international trade.
In 1955, Malcolm McLean, a former trucking company owner, collaborated with engineer Keith Tantlinger to create the modern intermodal shipping container. The container that the two wanted to build would be able to withstand long voyages at sea as well as be easily loaded onto ships, trucks, trains, and other shipping vessels. They ended up building boxes crafted from corrugated steel, which measured eight feet wide, eight feet tall, and ten feet long.
These containers were designed with a twist-lock mechanism on top of each corner. The design of this mechanism allowed the containers to attach securely to each other and also be easily lifted by cranes. Tantlinger convinced McLean to patent these designs, but eventually, the design was opened up to the public, becoming the standardized shipping container. Soon, this invention was simplifying intermodal transportation all over the globe.
The first ship that successfully carried shipping containers was the SS Ideal X, a converted WW2 oil tanked. It was bought by Malcolm McLean’s company in 1955, modified to carry containers, and set sail for the first time on April 6, 1956.
It traveled from Port Newark, New Jersey, to Port of Houston, Texas. The Ideal X was loaded with 58 containers, with 58 trucks waiting to continue transporting each container upon arrival. The Ideal X was sold in 1959 and then again in 1964 for scrapping, and that is how the first successful container ship ended its career.
Although shipping goods is easier than ever and we are able to transport items safely and securely, shipping can still be very stressful (among other things, piracy recently made a comeback). As a result, there is a high demand for secure delivery services that can safely and cheaply transport high-value goods.
That's why UNIVAL Logistics offers both secure package delivery and private shipping insurance that allows you to keep peace of mind while your shipment is in transit. Our global logistics experts will find the best possible route for your goods, but also ensure you have the best possible insurance coverage. Not only that, but customers can now track their package no matter where it is with GPS tracking tools.
UNIVAL is able to provide end-to-end shipping solutions and offer the most reasonable discount shipping rates around, with full-value international and domestic insurance. If you are in need of a reliable shipping company and private shipping insurance for your high-value items, contact UNIVAL Logistics today.
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.105 per ton-mile. Reducing truck transport and opting for the optimal rail transload facility can help increase expense savings through rail.</p> <h2>Rail Freight and Intermodal Strategy</h2> <p>Intermodal is the use of two or more freight transporting modes. When combining rail and road, trains are utilized for the long-haul chunk of the transport. Trucks are used to ship loads from the origin to the terminal and then from the terminal to the recipient, known as drayage.</p> <p><strong>Using rail freight as part of an intermodal strategy has many benefits</strong>, which you can discover below.</p> <h2>Rail Freight Is Eco-Friendly</h2> <p>Given the current state of our environment, caring for it is imperative. From an ecological point of view, rail freight is a great transport alternative compared to air, sea, and road freight. <strong>The biggest advantage of rail freight is the reduction of CO2 emissions</strong>. Compared to other transport modes, rail freight leaves the smallest carbon footprint.</p> <p>For example, air freight consumes 138 tons of CO2, and the combination of air and sea consumes approximately 76 tons of CO2. However, rail freight consumes only 5 tons of CO2 over the same distance. That’s why, now more than ever, rail freight deserves more attention.</p> <h2>Rail Transportation Is Safe and Efficient</h2> <p>Railway safety has notably improved over the past couple of decades. Now, <strong>rail transportation is one of the safest shipping options</strong>. With steady investments in railway infrastructure, routings, tracks, terminals, and border crossing stations, there’s a significant enhancement in the performance of rail freight.</p> <p>Moreover, GPS tracking in trains prevents theft and losses, protecting the goods in transit. Since carriers can locate their customers’ shipments and follow up on milestones, they can deliver information on container position and detect if something unexpected happens during the transportation.</p> <h2>Rail Freight Is Fast and Reliable</h2> <p><strong>Rail freight is a fast and reliable shipping mode</strong> with shorter lead times when compared to sea freight. Although not always possible, there are many situations when rail freight is a more optimal choice than other transport modes.</p> <p>For instance, one of the biggest challenges for companies with production in China is the long lead times to northern Europe when shipping by sea. Sea shipping from China to that part of Europe typically takes around seven weeks.</p> <p>With rail freight, the shipping times can be cut in half, significantly reducing the lead time. Shorter lead times can make it easier to predict business operations and costs, positively impacting capital binding.</p> <p>In addition, rail freight transport is a <strong>punctual mode of transport</strong>. Compared to sea and road freight which can be subjected to bad weather and congestion, not much can hinder the rail path, reducing the risk of unexpected delays.</p> <h2>Are There any Drawbacks of Rail Transportation?</h2> <p>Intermodal containers experience a lot of movement during transit that can damage their contents. There’s a risk of a denied claim if cargo isn't appropriately blocked and braced by rail standards.</p> <h2>Rail Freight Shipping Can Be Your Optimal Choice</h2> <p>Rail shipping has many benefits and very few drawbacks. Apart from being extremely reliable, rail freight is also cost-effective. On top of that, it leaves the smallest carbon footprint compared to other shipping modes.</p> <p>With rising challenges in sustaining our environment, it’s vital to do everything we can to reduce CO2 emissions and reduce the impact of global warming. For those reasons, using rail freight as a part of intermodal strategy can be an optimal choice for many companies that wish to see improvement in our environment.</p> <p><a href="https://unival-logistics.com/">Unival Logistics</a> provides end-to-end logistic solutions and we always choose optimal routes, so that your packages arrive on time and cause the least amount of pollution. You can also take out <a href="https://unival-logistics.com/package-insurance">full-value insurance for high-value goods</a>, track your packages in real-time, and integrate your business with Unival’s API.</p> <p>If you need a logistics partner that combines traditionally effective methods of transport with modern solutions, contact Unival Logistics.</p> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://unival-logistics.com/rail-freight" }, "headline": "What You Need to Know About Rail Freight", "description": "Rail freight is reliable, fast, and green and can be an excellent choice for various businesses. 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