Latest / The Productivity Podcast with Fexingo: Output, Efficiency, and Long-Term Economic Growth
How Containerization Reshaped Global Trade
The standard shipping container did more than move goods, it fundamentally restructured global supply chains and reshaped the geography of trade. This episode examines how the intermodal container system lowered logistics costs by over ninety percent between 1960 and 1980, allowing manufacturers to shift production to low-cost regions while keeping consumer prices stable in wealthy markets. We look at the specific economic mechanics of this shift, the role of key innovators like Malcom McLean, and why modern productivity debates often overlook the physical infrastructure that makes digital…
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