The shipping containers carry shipments all across the globe. They have been useful tools for manufacturing companies. A shipping container is considered an “intermodal freight container“, i.e., it can be moved from one mode of transport to another- it can be loaded on ships, on trains, and on trucks thereby allowing goods transport via water, rail and road. They are sturdy, reusable and can carry about 27,600 kg. They can serve for a life span of 15-20 years, although the average container will spend more than half its life sitting empty and unused. They often don’t return to their place of origin as it gets expensive to send them back. They end up piling up on ports or even construction sites. This is another example of the malfunction of international capitalism. They can be melted down but that requires over 8000kWh energy for each container! So, mostly they end up getting rusted or are left in landfills.

Continue reading “Can shipping containers help circular economy?”