‘Half containers not a new concept’

Good article on the half height containers in the latest edition (FTW November 18, 2011) and a great concept. I am now starting to show my age as these are not new and were quite common in the early 1980s when I worked in the Europe-Far East trade in London for the Trio consortium for OCL. We had quite a number of these which were used by British Steel (now Corus Steel) for exports of their steel products to Asia. You don’t want too many when considering 2 x half heights in one slot = 60 tonnes of cargo! I think you should award a R1000 prize for the first bright spark to recommend large amounts of these should be used by shipping lines and no doubt for half the price of normal already low freight. My prize would be awarding same bright spark a copy of Martin Stopford’s book on Maritime Economics on which I will then set them many questions to test if they actually read it as a penalty!! Good issue, although I had to take a cold shower on Mr Peat’s Durban terminal story. We know it’s coming but you have a nice way of really lining us up to slash our wrists further! Iain McIntosh, GM sales and marketing, MOL South Africa, Cape Town.