C4IP is honoring Malcom McLean (1913-2001), whose invention of containerized shipping revolutionized global trade.
- Born into a farming family in North Carolina, McLean started a successful trucking company during the Great Depression, but he became frustrated by the time he spent waiting for crates to be transferred between trucks and ships.
- Believing there was a more efficient way to transport cargo on ships, McLean invented a system of sturdy steel containers that could be stacked and easily separated from truck trailers, which he patented in 1958.
- McLean founded a company called Sea-Land to commercialize his invention, which quickly became an industry leader worth $160 million ($1.4 billion in 2025 dollars).
- McLean’s invention had an immense economic impact, cutting port handling costs by more than 90% — from nearly $6 per ton to about $0.16 per ton — and making shipping operations dramatically faster.
- Today, container ships move approximately 90% of global trade.
- In total, container ships transport over $7 trillion worth of goods each year, according to the World Shipping Council.
- By making long-distance trade cheap and reliable, McLean’s innovation helped create modern supply chains, fueled global interconnectedness, increased consumer access to goods, and allowed U.S. businesses to more easily export their products around the world.