Since the late 1960s, the container has consistently become the most universal transport packaging for an increasingly wide range of cargo. The consequences of this process are visible primarily in quantitative, qualitative, and market aspects.
In the quantitative aspect, it is seen as a constant, global increase in the volume of goods handled by container terminals. It also involves investments related to the construction of new container terminals, the development of existing ones, and infrastructure investments aimed at effectively integrating container terminals into the functioning of national transport systems. In the qualitative aspect, the consequences of the widespread use of containers are manifested by the continuous introduction of modifications to containers in terms of their design to secure cargo, the durability of the container itself, or increasing its load capacity or cargo space. In the market aspect, the direct consequences of containerization are primarily the construction of new types of containers, technical modifications, or equipping containers with elements that create specialized equipment for securing and transporting specific types of cargo (e.g., specialized containers adapted for transporting cars, clothing, liquid bulk cargo, etc.).
Determinants of the growth in demand for container transport
The mentioned consequences of the popularization of container transport indicate a specific interdependence. On one hand, the increase in interest in container transport from customers is often stimulated by infrastructure investments or operational or technical changes regarding containers. On the other hand, technical and operational changes are the result of increased demand for specific requirements reported by customers regarding the design and operation of containers. The discussed aspects coexist and become the main cause of the rapid increase in interest from most branches of the broadly understood industry and trade in using this type of packaging. Figure 1 shows the main elements determining the growth in demand for container transport.
Both the supply-side entities of the logistics services market and container owners have a similar influence on the growing demand for containers in logistics processes. They are also the entities shaping the technical and organizational safety requirements in container trade. (…)
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Source: Logistyka Magazine
Ksiazkiewicz_Mierkiewicz_Bezpieczenstwo_w_morskich_przewozach_kontenerowych.pdf