Container Technology, Inc – Launches New Website ContainerTech.com

Container Technology, Inc the leading portable storage provider based in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Container Technology specializes in the sale of standard and specialized storage containers. Container Alliance is proud to be a part of the development of the new web base for Container Technology which showcases the quality and efficiency. Visit www.containertech.com and take a look at the new content.

Ocean Freight Containers : From Global Economics to Sustainability

The Shipping Container industry is one that is of massive global proportions.  The majority of finished goods and non bulk cargo is transported throughout the world inside the ISO shipping container. Most ocean freight containers are in circulation for 8-12 years before they are made available for sale or “off-hired” to the major port cities.  These off-hires are now available as a shipping container for sale.  The post shipping life of the container has become an entirely new industry of innovation and sustainability due to the fact that the containers are being “up-cycled” or “re-used” “re-cycled” or “re-purposed”.  Regardless of the term you are using the bottom line is that the 1 million and 1 uses for a cargo container is a good thing.   To see just a few examples of these new uses for containers visit this page:  creative uses for containers

Let’s first take a look back in time:  Many people think the Shipping Container was invented in China — not true.  The first shipping container was invented and patented in 1956 by an American named Malcolm McLean.  McLean was not an ocean shipper, but was a trucker and by 1956 he owned the largest trucking fleet in the South and the fifth largest trucking company in all the United States. He saved his money and bought his first truck in 1934. During those years all cargo was loaded and unloaded in odd sized wooden crates. The process was very slow, extremely expensive and certainly not standardized. After observing this slow and inefficient process for 20 years, he finally decided to step back and develop some standardized way of loading cargo from trucks to ships and warehouses. Malcolm then purchased Pan Atlantic Tanker Company, which owned a bunch of fairly rusted tankers. He re-named the new shipping company Sea-Land Shipping.  With this shipping company he could finally experiment with better ways to load and un-load trucks and ships.  After many experiments, his final design is what we know now as the Shipping Container. …super strong, uniform design, theft resistant, stackable, easy to load, unload, truck, rail, ship, and certainly store.  Now, it becomes available to the public, as a shipping container for sale and the economic impact has been nothing less than monumental.

Matson, on the West coast of the US also attempted the container concept, but failed sorely. The final boost to standardize McLean’s concept was the US Navy and by the early 70′s were globally accepted.  Although McLean had the first concept and working system in 1956, it was the US military who finally accomplished what was necessary to make the ISO  (International Organization for Standardization) shipping container accepted by every shipping line and every country of the world.

Because it was so much faster and organized to load and unload, the cost of loading freight was reduced by more than 90%. Thus, the cost of products you sell or buy were reduced greatly because of the invention and standardization of the ISO shipping container.   The shipping container for sale had become a global economic phenomenon

The worldwide transportation industry responded rapidly to this new invention of the Shipping Container and the rest of the world also began to find more uses for this “super box”, not just for shipping. The new shipping container for sale was so well designed that it can hold tons of cargo inside, and also easily withstand the weight of 8 or 10 more fully loaded containers on the top of it.  ISO shipping containers are the strongest mobile or stationary modular structure in the world.

So although Malcolm McLean invented and developed the first ISO Shipping Container, it was the U.S. Military who pushed the use of these ISO Boxes to become standard in shipping and ship building.  The military was also were the first to officially create the ISBU for use as quick, strong military housing, offices, power plants and instant set up medical facilities.

Now that we have a little history on the global economic significance of Cargo Containers, let’s take a look at what has become increasingly important in the world as we move forward: Sustainability.

Traditionally, shipping lines have had their containers fitted with tropical hardwood floors.  It takes two cubic meters of hardwood to produce floors for three, 40ft containers.  The container industry uses approximately 1.2-1.5 million cubic meters of hardwood annually to meet demand for new containers.  Environmental awareness has brought new materials to the manufacturing table that is less harmful to the environment then the old growth hardwoods traditionally used in the past. Container factories have also taken a longer look at paint application processes and the steel manufacturing process to become more efficient and less wasteful.

With the recent economic slowdown, the production of a shipping container for sale has slowed almost to a halt.  This has been somewhat of a reason for the general public to overlook the damage that building new containers has done, and will continue to do, to the environment.   However, now that manufacturing is seeing a slight uptick due to some economic recovery; that is starting to change. After having such a positive fiscal impact on the global economy, some of the largest container manufacturing companies are now taking responsibility with some of the negative aspects that the cargo freight industry has brought on.

To that end, Maersk line has introduced a new policy that insures all new manufactured Ocean Freight Containers are designed with responsible forestry practices or non-wood alternatives such as bamboo and recycled plastic.  Maersk sources say that any tropical hardwood that is used will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); also stated is the fact that as an interim solution applicable only in 2011, tropical hardwood verified as legal by FSC will be accepted while the alternative types are scaled up in production.  The new cargo containers produced by Maersk will be FSC-labeled in hopes that this type of shipping container manufacturing will become a standard in that industry.  Maersk representative’s state that they are confident that the work and testing they have done with regards to alternative solutions for floors has been sufficient, and believe they can convey this to customers.  This new policy will not only be implemented within the Maersk organization, but throughout their global supply chain.  Which is significant.

The invention and production of ocean freight containers has been obviously been a large economic boost in our world.  Now we are faced with the inevitable environmental impacts that have been created from that outset.  The more we read, talk and scrutinize these factors, the more chances we have that change will happen.

For now, Container Alliance, as a network of small to mid-sized portable storage companies, will continue to work diligently to help our clients innovate and find as many new uses as possible for the ISO shipping container by offering storage containers for sale throughout the United States. In addition, it is our goal to continue to raise awareness about the positive aspects of sustainability within the Container industry.

Written By Gabe Crane

About The Author: Gabe Crane Sales Representative,  New Business Developer and ISBU Expert at Container Alliance  http://www.ContainerAlliance.com

Visit the site for more great information related to 20 ft shipping containers, 40 ft shipping container solutions, used container sales and more information about how to rent a shipping container.