| Modern shippers mostly transport things by container. | | | | world. Using containers has eliminated the need to |
| When containers were standardized, it was easy to | | | | pack and unpack shipments as they go from one |
| ship from one country to another and to switch from | | | | form of transport to another. Containers can remain |
| one mode of transportation to another without | | | | sealed and can easily go from ocean freight, to |
| having to break bulk, or separate cargo goods into | | | | barge, rail, or truck. They can be delivered from a |
| individual pieces. Containerization has reduced costs | | | | manufacturer overseas directly to a store in the |
| and streamlined the shipping process on an | | | | United States, essentially without ever stopping. |
| international level. | | | | The advancement that was made when shipping |
| The idea of containerization was introduced by | | | | containers were standardized has changed the |
| Benjamin Chinitz in the 1950's. He thought that | | | | shipping industry forever. Security was greatly |
| containerization would benefit New York by making it | | | | increased. Shipping time was greatly decreased. |
| cheaper to export goods to the southern states. | | | | The unique codes on each container made tracking |
| He had no idea that the idea would revolutionize the | | | | a lot easier. <a rel="nofollow" |
| shipping industry worldwide. | | | | onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(' |
| The International Organization for Standardization | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=" Freight">Ocean |
| (ISO) is a group of representatives from several | | | | freight</a> shipping was revolutionized. Ocean |
| countries that come together to agree on | | | | shipping grew from a treacherous and lengthy |
| standardizations of certain things in certain industries. | | | | endeavor to a highly efficient means of importing and |
| The ISO agreed upon the internal and external | | | | exporting goods internationally. |
| dimensions, volume capacity, and weight of these | | | | With today's modern ports and giant fleets of cargo |
| containers. They also made other specifications so | | | | ships travelling all over the world, the industry has |
| that containers could be sealed, improving security | | | | had to become high tech. Computerization of the |
| for international shipping. They agreed on how the | | | | shipping process has made it possible to track |
| containers should be built so that they were strong | | | | individual containers as they travel around the globe. |
| enough to withstand stacking. "Twistlock" points are | | | | Customers can watch and track their goods as |
| connected when containers are stacked to ensure | | | | they go from truck, to cargo ship, to barge, and |
| that they are securely held together and stacked | | | | back to truck. With customs, security, insurance, |
| properly. Many other standards focused around size, | | | | freight forwarding and more, the use of a logistics |
| shape, strength, and weight were set. | | | | company to manage it all has become a necessity. |
| Standardizing containers across the globe has made it | | | | Now, customers can ship things internationally more |
| possible for international ocean shipping ports and | | | | quickly and easily, for less cost and more security, |
| companies to easily work together. The equipment | | | | than any other time in history. |
| is standardized to handle ISO containers all over the | | | | |