In chapter one of "The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger" by Marc Levinson, a particularly interesting section is at the beginning. At the start of the first chapter, Levinson discusses the world's first experience with shipping containers. In April of 1956, the first shipping containers were aboard a tanker named the Ideal-X bound from New Jersey to Texas. While there were only 58 aluminum containers on this journey, this first trial run using containers bound for trucks was revolutionary. It's fascinating to note that this particular journey was one of the first successes for a container ship. Before 1956, the world's methods of shipping were very different from today's and not nearly as efficient.
Author Marc Levinson states that the development of the shipping container was revolutionary and an important contribution to globalization. It's interesting that the container, when fully developed, seemingly destroyed the old shipping-based economy. However, this destruction of the old fashioned methods and economy paved the way for a new economy to be constructed. While the old ports declined abruptly, many new ports were rapidly established. In addition to these new ports, "this new economic geography [stemming from the development of better shipping methods, i.e. containers] allowed firms whose ambitions had been purely domestic to be come international companies, exporting their products almost as effortlessly as selling them nearby." In fact, firms who wanted to remain domestic were actually forced to move international simply because the global market was coming right to their proverbial doorstep. Additionally, the development of the container contributed to globalization by drastically increasing the amount of and speed at which the goods can be transported.
Personally, I believe that there is much more to be gained than lost by the development of the shipping container. While those involved in the old-fashioned shipping markets were replaced by the modern port system, the overall gains are evident in modern society. The world gains variety in goods that can be exported worldwide, while the previously utilized shipping employees may be at a loss for work. Even though there are some individuals who lost jobs due to the development of containers, the world improved overall. Specifically, those employed by firms responsible for international trade will benefit a great deal.
