I usually watch the BBC World Business Report every morning and today I learned that BBC News is following a shipping container for a whole year to tell the story of globalisation. Actually, the container has been enroute since September last year, but today was the first time I heard of it. Not so much related maybe to Supply Chain Risk, but still an interesting gimmick, showing how interconnected global trade has become, and the difficulties and challenges a shipment has to face along the way

So far

The Box’s first voyage saw it carry a cargo of whisky from Scotland to China. During the next leg it carried products loaded by a major US retail chain, including a variety of health and personal care products, beauty supplies and gardening supplies for American consumers. It has travelled from China to Los Angeles on the west coast of the United States, and from there by rail to Pennsylvania. There the goods were distributed to a chain of homeware stores across the United States. The Box then left New York bound for Santos in Brazil, carrying a cargo of household goods.

Track it

The box’ website features a map where you can track the box’ whereabouts and view reports about its cargo and handling.

Links

• The Box’ website: bbc.com/thebox

Back!

Update 2009/11/13: The box has finally arrived home again!

Related

• husdal.com: The Box is back!