Shipping containers are reusable storage and transport units for moving goods from one location to another. Shipping containers are the most convenient and affordable means of transporting cargo via sea. The most popular shipping container is the general container, whose dimensions are 20 ft. 40 ft.  It is common because it is easy to load and unload goods, and transporting goods is efficient and seamless through all transport modes.

In 1955, a brilliant person by the name. Malcolm McLean worked together with engineer Keith Tantlinger to develop the standard shipping container. Although Malcolm Mclean was not an ocean shipper, he owned the largest trucking company at the time. The cargo was loaded and unloaded on wooden cases and transferred into ships for years. He observed this method and realised it was inadequate. He realised that the truck and shipping businesses would benefit from a regulated system of cargo turnover. He then purchased a shipping company and experimented with better ways to load and unload trucks. This is when he comes up with the shipping container idea. Shipping containers would be robust, theft-resistant, reliable and easy to transfer.

During the design of shipping containers, the biggest challenge was to create a unit that could expeditiously be packed in ships and carried securely on sea trips. In 1956, the first shipping container transported its cargo successfully from Port Newark to Houston, USA. At the end of the century, shipping containers were used to transport 90% of the world's cargo.

After shipping containers were invented, the shipping industry experienced some changes, including:

• Safe cargo journeys
• Damages on goods reduced
• Less labour was required for loading and offloading of goods.
• The shipping cost was reduced.

Shipping containers original purpose was to transport goods from one location to another via sea. They were also made to make loading and offloading goods and transferring cargo from trucks to the ship easier.

Today, shipping containers are used for various purposes, including storage, transport and building houses. They are also available in different shapes and sizes. In addition, there are specialised shipping containers such as high cubes, open tops, side doors and reefers.

If you’re looking to buy or hire a shipping container, browse the range that Tiger Containers has on offer. Visit our website or contact us for more information.