A new shipping container has been developed by a company in the Netherlands. The container is made of fiber-reinforced polymer, is as strong as steel, is corrosion resistant, and has built-in float bags that allow the container to float if it goes over the side of the ship. The use of polymer also allows the system to be lighter and easier to scan the cargo containers that are currently in use. In addition, a small electric current can pass through a mesh embedded in the cargo walls so that any breach of the cargo wall disturbs the current flow, sending an automatic alert to the shipper, receiver, and authorities at the destination port. A similar alarm can be triggered if a container is opened at an unscheduled time by an unauthorized person or outside the designated zone. The container is outfitted with internal sensors to monitor atmospheric pressure, oxygen levels, humidity, radiation, temperature, and location (using GPS since the signal is not blocked by composite walls). This allows for monitoring cargo contents and to prevent illegal transportation of nuclear materials or humans. The container also makes use of tamper-proof RFID tags that are secured within the box. These tags transmit owner identification, origin, destination, inventory, and travel history. Information for the alerts and the sensors are collected and monitored on an onboard computer, which sends encrypted updates by satellite or cellular networks. Additionally, when the new cargo containers are not in use, it can be folded to a quarter of its full height for storage.
Source: http://www.cargoshell.com/index.phpwww.cargoshell.com
