Around the World
Around the World in a Box
by Thomas O'Reilly
A paper blowing in the wind, a bottle bobbing in the current, a container pinballing between global ports -- all part of the obscure minutiae of everyday life.
If the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has any sway, however, its Big Box project will publicize the not-so-subtle ebbs and flows of global trade and the importance of containerization to the masses.
In a landmark experiment and yearlong presentation that will be aired on television, in print, and online, the BBC is tracking a GPS-equipped 40-foot container as it bumps and floats its way around the world.
Inspired by economist Marc Levinson's history of containerization, The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger, the BBC has partnered with the Container Shipping Information Service (CSIS) and its member partner, NYK Line, to handle logistics for the project.
The BBC-branded shipping container embarked on its voyage in September, leaving the port of Southampton, England, for a Scottish bottling plant, where it was loaded with whiskey bound for China.
During its journey, the container will crisscross the United States, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, transporting a variety of consumer goods before returning to England.
The BBC's goal is to highlight the importance of the container shipping industry, providing a live demonstration of how "the box" connects countries, markets, businesses, and people.
"As this specific container travels around the world, everyone can follow its adventures and start to understand how pivotal container shipping is to the globalized world and the global economy," says Jeremy Nixon, European managing director of NYK Line.
You can track the box's progress through daily GPS updates on the BBC's Web site: www.bbc.co.uk/thebox
