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Policy & Compliance
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Potential future developments in the role of the container
Perhaps one of the most significant inventions ever was the shipping container, which has now been in existence for over 60 years. It has facilitated global trade through intermodal supply chains with great efficiency. In recent years, however, there have been numerous innovators seeking to harness emerging capabilities and imagine boxes integrated into broader supply chain activities. The standard freight container is a disconnected solitary box. Opportunities to make it smart are plentiful. Smart might mean the capability to geolocate the unit, or enhance security, or monitor and control temperature for reefer containers; there are numerous use cases for a smart container. There are also potential safety gains – imagine a single smart container, positioned in a stack of several thousand, that is able to announce an unexpected spike in internal temperature, facilitating early response to a cargo fire. Reliable communication has been a fundamental challenge, not least in the middle of the ocean. Advances continue to be made to deliver resilient communications between ship and shore, enabling smart containers and internet of things (IoT) devices to leap forward. A connected smart container might present other opportunities: • More effective fleet utilisation, reducing repositioning. • Visibility and control of the cargo space, potentially mitigating cargo damage and consequent waste. Imagine timely intervention to stabilise temperature fluctuations or adjust humidity settings, precluding damage at destination. • Transparency for the beneficial cargo owner, driving operational efficiencies. Accurate arrival dates or details of transport routing would afford opportunities around staffing Many people in the industry believe that the container will be digitalised in the future, enabling increasing information flows and improving safety. But who will pay for it?
levels, warehouse utilisation and production schedules. • Sensing and/or imaging that detects, records and reports issues, providing myriad benefits. Early detection of a developing fire, for example, is critical to successful response – integrating precise location, declared cargo type, and other metadata would be invaluable at every point through transit. • Detection of movement, heat sources or increases in CO 2 , providing invaluable assistance in security and potentially saving lives in the context of clandestine migration. • Identification, through camera technology, of
• Improved security, greater visibility and the ability to set geofences, ensuring that the container remains on the expected route – or otherwise alerts to deviations. There would also be opportunities to mitigate the risks of container theft. • Ability to self-diagnose damage, whether it be a hole in the roof of the container or a developing weakness following an impact event, enhancing safety and cargo protection. This could be an interesting future iteration of smart container technology. • Functionality to prevent the allocation of a unit until repaired, reducing wasted journeys where a damaged container is positioned and then rejected.
undeclared items in the cargo space, disrupting the movement of illicit goods.
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March 2023
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