Container Ships Move the World

In the picture

1. 1Container ship: standard boxes in two sizes, 20-foot and 40-foot, stacked by the thousand
2. 2Narrow strait: a chokepoint where many shipping routes squeeze through
3. 3Gantry crane: lifts containers between ship and quay in minutes
4. 4Container yard: boxes waiting to leave by truck, train or another ship

Examples

• A phone assembled in China usually reaches European shops in a container, after passing through the Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal.
• In 2021 the ship Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for six days, delaying hundreds of ships and goods around the world.

Quiz: Container Ships Move the World (Age 18)

1. 1

   Roughly what share of world trade by volume is carried by sea?

   • About 20%
   • About 50%
   • About 80%
2. 2

   Why are straits such as Malacca, Hormuz and Gibraltar considered strategic for global trade?

   • They are the only places where large container ships are allowed to refuel
   • Many shipping routes squeeze through them, so a blockage can disrupt trade worldwide
   • They are where most containers are moved from ships onto trains
3. 3

   What makes steel shipping containers so useful for world trade?

   • They come in standard sizes, so they move easily between ship, truck and train
   • They are unpacked at every port so the goods can be checked one by one
   • Each one is custom-built to fit a single type of ship

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This quiz is free there while the lesson is in the free week.