But what a blip it has been! Containerization has revolutionized international commerce and indeed the way we all live and work, making it feasible to transport finished goods and raw materials thousands of miles in a matter of weeks for almost pennies.
It is far more than just the convenience of less expensive consumer goods and year-round consumables, however.Containerization has enabled America to export millions of manufacturing and farming jobs overseas, contributing mightily to our nation's shift into a service-based economy in the past quarter century, almost without missing a beat.
It is a significant contributor to America's resurgence and leadership in the global economy, allowing the rapid, inexpensive, reliable transfer of goods and materials to and from the United States, thereby benefiting our high-productivity work force and, like the proverbial rising tide, lifting the economic boats of many of our international trading partners.