The majority of containers are manufactured in China. From there, they are loaded with cargo and then start their journey. They are loaded onto massive cargo ships, operated by companies like CMA, CGM, Maersk and CSCL. Luckily, myself and the other Lion Containers Ltd staff, got to see the CSCL Globe on its maiden voyage to Felixstowe in 2015. You can read more about my trip here >>

All of these ships enter different ports throughout Europe. A lot goes on in the shipping industry that we have absolutely no idea about; containers are loaded and off-loaded using enormous cranes portside. Planning for loading cargo vessels is extremely efficient, and containers are loaded and off-loaded in a logical manner.  The engineers on the vessels constantly work hard to ensure the ship is safe and runs correctly. Delays can be expensive and dangerous!.

Little do we know whilst working from home, or at our desk in the office, goods are currently being shipped in a shipping container right now.  Each box is heavily loaded with goods such as paper, food, clothes and cars. Even the electrical components in the computer screen you are reading this from, are probably shipped in this way! The reality behind all of this is, if we did not have container ships today laden with goods, the world would simply not work in the way it does today. The global economy would grind to a halt! Shipping containers really do make the world go round!

It has been estimated that 10,000 shipping containers are lost each year at sea! Just think how many containers and goods are currently at the bottom of the ocean! The container you have on site, or may be considering purchasing very soon, may have gone through horrendous conditions at sea. Yet they still guarantee wind and water tight conditions. The steel structure of these containers make them very robust, and it is just as well given the treacherous conditions they are likely to face traversing the world’s oceans.

Your shipping container has gone through an awful lot. From first of all being manufactured in China, then shipped over to Europe whilst being loaded with heavy goods, possibly facing harsh weather conditions and escaping being tipped of the ship! So, next time you load your container with your goods, think about the life it has had.