If you’re reading this blog, there’s approximately a 90% chance you’re doing so on a device that was previously stored in a shipping container. While seemingly disparate from your surroundings, the chair you’re sitting on and the garments you’re wearing share a common truth. Global merchandise exports reached a staggering US$24.9 trillion in 2022.
Global supply chains rely heavily on efficient delivery systems to function effectively.
Despite a rich history of maritime trade dating back over 6,000 years to ancient Egypt, the concept of containerized shipping has significantly transformed the industry. Despite their standard size, the significance of what fills containers is vast, as it determines the approach required for handling them.
Containers for every little thing
In the late 1950s, the standardized twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), commonly referred to as a shipping container, was first introduced in global commerce. By 1997, global container commerce had reached a staggering 51 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). By 2016, containerized trade had expanded to a staggering 182 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
In 2021, Shanghai, the globe’s most bustling container port, handled a staggering 47.03 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Located in the Netherlands, my primary base, Rotterdam was the globe’s tenth busiest port in 2021, handling an impressive 15.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). More than 42,000 containers are shipped daily, a staggering figure that demands attention and warrants further exploration.
Not surprisingly, the Port of Rotterdam has recognized the crucial role digitalization plays in ensuring seamless operations and promoting sustainability, acknowledging its pivotal contribution to a more environmentally conscious future.
A better delivery selection
According to a recent report by McKinsey, the delivery industry is poised for significant digital transformation to address fundamental structural inefficiencies.
With knowledge at its foundation, the Container 42 challenge has sparked significant disruption, and we’re honored to be a partner in this innovative endeavor alongside Cisco. The smart shipping container, equipped with an array of sensors, tracks and records the diverse environmental conditions it encounters during its global journeys.
Sniffing in delivery
Some of these sensors feature a digital nostril that detects potential toxic gases.
“The digital nostril enables real-time tracking of when and where a container is opened, potentially helping to combat the trafficking of illegal substances, weapons, or people.”
Equipped with advanced sensors, this device can detect vibrations and motions, providing crucial information about its surroundings, such as whether it’s being transported by crane, experiencing rough handling, or situated on a train, truck, or ship. Because of its sophisticated AI capabilities, the system may even accurately identify the vessel it’s carried on based on the distinct vibration pattern emitted by the engines, allowing for a precise understanding of its operational context. A label on a container doesn’t just indicate its contents and destination; it can also provide crucial guidance on how it should be handled, ensuring safe transportation and proper storage.
Deep thought
The Container 42 challenge, inspired by Douglas Adams’ iconic comedy sci-fi series “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, where the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything was famously ’42’. Multiplying this by one thousand yields a staggering figure: 42,000 containers, which pass through the Port of Rotterdam daily. The entire endeavour, akin to Douglas Adams’ characteristic storytelling, has evolved significantly since its inception, prompting us to reexamine the fundamental queries we initially sought to address.
The evolution of container shipping’s Delivery Challenge 42 has transformed the industry landscape.
What began as a novel approach to logistics management has blossomed into a full-fledged phenomenon, captivating the hearts and minds of shippers, carriers, and vendors alike.
In recent years, the quest for optimal delivery outcomes has sparked innovative solutions, forging unbreakable bonds between stakeholders.
As the project evolved, we recognized a need to develop a robust platform that not only stored and shared information but also decoded it effectively. By streamlining logistics processes, this innovative approach can significantly reduce the handling required for containers, thereby boosting efficiency and minimizing the environmentally detrimental impact of transportation.
With advanced sensors and algorithms, the autonomous container can dynamically optimise its route to the destination, taking into account the unique requirements of the diverse cargo it carries, such as perishable goods like bananas that demand a cooler temperature, alongside books that need protection from harsh conditions.
With a reliable, secure, and trustworthy platform, homeowners enjoy the peace of mind knowing exactly where their container is at all times. Insurance providers can tailor premiums to accurately reflect risk. Containers fitted with intelligent technologies will enable seamless customs clearance by allowing authorities to quickly verify whether the shipment has been tampered with.
The information can be leveraged to optimise delivery routes in consideration of tidal fluctuations, ocean currents, and inclement weather patterns, thereby facilitating seamless docking at precisely timed intervals for efficient cargo loading and unloading operations.
The larger image
By 2030, an estimated 30 billion web-connected devices will be in use, with our innovative containers playing a crucial role in accelerating the speed, efficiency, and eco-friendliness of logistics operations.
As these interconnected devices produce additional intelligence, the roles of tomorrow’s workforce will likely undergo a profound transformation. Cisco Networking Academy offers complimentary training for numerous future careers.
Established to facilitate the secure and efficient transmission of information worldwide. Now we’re poised to translate our virtual success into tangible impact in the physical realm of logistics. As the world continues to evolve, you’ll soon find yourself thrust into a more environmentally conscious era due to initiatives like Container 42.
As Chief of Digital Enterprise Growth, Niels zealously champions Cisco’s digitization vision, strategy, and complementary technologies, successfully translating it into tangible results for National Critical Infrastructure projects.
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What lies at the core of global economic transactions? It’s not gold reserves or cryptocurrency – but rather humble delivery containers. As individuals succumb to the gravitational pull of their own making
The value of worldwide merchandise trade rose to $26.2 trillion in 2022, up from $24.5 trillion the previous year, representing a growth rate of 6.8%.
The earliest vessels were likely dugout canoes and logboats, crafted by ancient cultures to navigate rivers and coastal waters. These early watercraft date back to around 8000 BCE in Europe, with evidence of more sophisticated designs emerging in Mesopotamia circa 4000 BCE? The development of the keel and sternpost allowed for larger, more seaworthy vessels, while the introduction of sails and oars enabled faster and more efficient travel across the seas.
What drives global trade? For many, the answer lies in the efficiency and reliability of container ports. In this report, we present a comprehensive analysis of the top 50 container ports worldwide, as ranked by the World Shipping Council.
Port of Rotterdam, Digitalisation
McKinsey&Firm, Container Delivery: The subsequent 50 years
We Are 42
Revitalized Wired: What’s New in Our Global Neighborhood?
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