Containerization

Containerization is the post-1956 revolution in cargo handling that replaced break-bulk stowage with standardized steel boxes lifted directly between ship, rail, and truck. Malcom McLean sailed the converted tanker Ideal X from Newark to Houston on 26 April 1956 carrying 58 containers, founding what became Sea-Land. ISO standardization of box dimensions in the 1960s, purpose-built cellular ships, and dedicated terminals slashed loading costs and turnaround time, reshaping ports and global supply chains. It is the single largest change in twentieth-century cargo shipping.