Our modern society relies on container shipments to transport all kinds of goods across the world’s oceans. In the past, ships had to make long and dangerous journeys around the edges of the continents for certain routes, for example around Cape Horn in South America or the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. However, the construction of the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal enabled the ships to reach their destination much more quickly and safely. Many modern transport ships were even built to the “Panamax” or the new “Neopanamax” standard: the maximum size for crossing the Panama Canal.
Standardization and automation are other aspects that have made international shipping more efficient. The introduction of standard shipping containers is an example of this standardization. These containers can easily be transferred from a ship to a truck or train, which speeds up transportation. In modern ports, many processes are automated, for example the unloading of container ships and even the piloting of ships. Even autonomous ships are something we can expect in the near future.
On the Senior age group game field, the robot helps to load and unload ships, refuel them and pilot them out to sea.