Standard Shipping Container (20-foot)

The humble steel box that globalized the world economy/Everyday Objects

The 20-foot intermodal container, or TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit), is the standard unit of global shipping. Introduced by Malcolm McLean in 1956, this simple corrugated steel box is arguably the most important invention in modern trade. Its standardized dimensions mean it can be loaded onto ships, trains, and trucks without unpacking the contents. About 800 million TEU-equivalents move across the world's oceans each year, carrying everything from electronics to bananas.