page_title: Containerization
section_title: World War II
hierarchical_section_title: Containerization / Origin / Twentieth century / World War II
caption_attribution_description: English: Goods wagon; Railroad Museum Bochum-Dahlhausen Deutsch: Güterwagen im Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen
context_page_description: Containerization is a system of intermodal freight transport using intermodal containers. The containers have standardized dimensions. They can be loaded and unloaded, stacked, transported efficiently over long distances, and transferred from one mode of transport to another—container ships, rail transport flatcars, and semi-trailer trucks—without being opened. The handling system is completely mechanized so that all handling is done with cranes and special forklift trucks. All containers are numbered and tracked using computerized systems.
  Containerization originated several centuries ago but was not well developed or widely applied until after World War II, when it dramatically reduced the costs of transport, supported the post-war boom in international trade, and was a major element in globalization. Containerization did away with the manual sorting of most shipments and the need for warehousing. It displaced many thousands of dock workers who formerly handled break bulk cargo. Containerization also reduced congestion in ports, significantly shortened shipping time and reduced losses from damage and theft.
context_section_description: During World War II, the Australian Army used containers to help more easily deal with various breaks of gauge in the railroads. These non-stackable containers were about the size of the later 20-foot ISO container and perhaps made mainly of wood.
  During the same time, the United States Army started to combine items of uniform size, lashing them onto a pallet, unitizing cargo to speed the loading and unloading of transport ships. In 1947 the Transportation Corps developed the Transporter, a rigid, corrugated steel container with a 9,000 lb (4.1 t) carrying capacity, for shipping household goods of officers in the field. It was 8' 6" long, 6' 3" wide, and 6' 10" high (2.59 x 1.91 x 2.08 m), with double doors on one end, mounted on skids, and had lifting rings on the top four corners. During the Korean War the Transporter was evaluated for handling sensitive military equipment and, proving effective, was approved for broader use. Theft of material and damage to wooden crates convinced the army that steel containers were needed.
caption: Freight car in railway museum Bochum-Dahlhausen, showing four different UIC-590 pa-containers
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