We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • ::COVID-19 COVERAGE::
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Foldable design cuts containers down to size
Forward Thinking

Foldable design cuts containers down to size

April 1, 2009
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

Those towering piles of empty containers at shipping terminals around the world may eventually be cut down to size, and it won't be because there are fewer of them. If a venture by a pair of engineering professors from the Indian Institute of Technology and a former banker succeeds, ocean carriers and equipment leasing companies will be able to fold up the big steel boxes for storage.

With financing from the privately owned investment firm Simpri Investments Ltd., Professors Anoop Chawla and Sudipto Mukherjee spent more than three years developing the SIMIIT Four Pack Folding Container. Prototypes will soon be ready for inspection by marine certification authorities such as Lloyd's of London and Bureau Veritas.

According to the developers, the folding containers are watertight, and a hydraulic-powered base station can collapse the boxes to onefourth their size in just a few minutes. Because four folded and stacked containers will take up the same amount of space as a single box does now, ocean carriers will be able to transport and store more empties in far less space. That will mean fewer vessel voyages and truck trips to reposition equipment.

Simpri estimates that the foldable containers might cost 15 to 20 percent more to construct than a standard container. With ocean carriers currently spending an estimated US $16 billion to move and reposition empty containers each year, however, the potential savings far outweigh the added initial cost and could well change the economics of ocean shipping.

Articles about the containers and a video showing how the system works can be found here.

  • Related Articles

    Ports will need to double or quadruple in size by 2050, climate study says

    High-tech leaders seek cost cuts with shorter supply chains

    Space agency seeks down-to-earth opportunities for supply chain software

Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

Trucking market slumped under weight of diesel prices in March

Cargo volume stays strong in April

Consumers shrug off inflated prices to drive sales increase in April

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Is it time to blow up S&OP?

  • How to build a supplier diversity program that will drive long-term impact

  • Logistics pros warn of business impact from Russia-Ukraine war

  • Supply chain’s miracle workers

  • Container prices continue to drop

Featured Video

Cccb7d13 710a 4473 8132 da8b6cc286f1

The Sportsman's Guide Case study: Increasing Accuracy & Productivity

Viewer Contributed
Thanks to the Lucas Warehouse Optimization Suite, The Sportsman's Guide has increased productivity, reduced training time, and experienced a boost in accuracy for both full-time staff and seasonal employees. Want to learn how Lucas can help your DC be more efficient, accurate, and safe while reducing labor costs?...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Omnitracs One – Last Mile Solutions

  • The enterprise shipper's guide to building a smarter truckload RFP

  • Fixed vs. Flexible Automation: Which Option is Better for 3PLs?

  • Enhancing Relationships in Logistics through Data & Collaboration

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2022. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing