Shipping Container - 50 Things That Made the Modern Econo...

What this episode covers

The boom in global trade was caused by a simple steel box. Shipping goods around the world was – for many centuries – expensive, risky and time-consuming. But, as Tim Harford explains, 60 years ago the trucking entrepreneur Malcolm McLean changed all that by selling the idea of container shipping to the US military. Against huge odds he managed to turn 'containerisation' from a seemingly impractical idea into a massive industry – one that slashed the cost of transporting goods internationally and provoked a boom in global trade. Producer: Ben Crighton Editors: Richard Knight and Richard Vadon(Photo: Container ship travelling along the Suez Canal, Credit: Science Photo Library)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy?

This episode is 8 minutes long.

When was this 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy episode published?

This episode was published on November 19, 2016.

What is this episode about?

The boom in global trade was caused by a simple steel box. Shipping goods around the world was – for many centuries – expensive, risky and time-consuming. But, as Tim Harford explains, 60 years ago the trucking entrepreneur Malcolm McLean changed...

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