View source for BBC Box

{{For|the BBC blocks logo|Logo of the BBC}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
[[File:BBC News - The Box.jpg|thumb|300px|The Box outside BBC [[Television Centre, London]] in November 2009.|alt=]]
'''The Box''' or '''BBC Box''' ([[ISO 6346|BIC code]]: '''NYKU8210506''') was a single ISO [[intermodal container]] which was tracked by [[BBC News]] between September 2008 and April 2009, as part of a project to study [[international trade]] and [[globalisation]].<ref name="BBCBoxlaunch"/>  The Box was fitted with tracking equipment, and painted in a special one-off BBC [[livery]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2008/the_box/default.stm|title=Special Reports {{!}} The Box|website=news.bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref>

The Box was named after the book ''[[The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger]]'', which covers the effects of [[containerisation]].<ref name="BBCBoxlaunch"/>  The project was assisted by the [[Container Shipping Information Service]].

The tracking project was launched on 8 September 2008.<ref name="BBCBoxlaunch">{{Cite news|last=Hillman|first=Jeremy|date=8 September 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7600180.stm|title=The Box takes off on global journey|website=news.bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC News|access-date=8 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908134037/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7600180.stm|archive-date=8 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>  The BBC project tracked a standard {{Convert|40|ft|m|2|adj=mid|-long}} shipping container as it was transported by its owner, [[Nippon Yusen Kaisha]] (NYK) shipping line using [[intermodal freight transport]] with various cargoes.  An on-board [[GPS]] unit tracked the Box's location, and this was used to update a map showing the current location and its previous route.  If the container's GPS or communications signal was obstructed (such as having been stacked too far inside the ship's [[Hold (ship)|hold]]), the ship's own GPS location was used to manually update a map.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rin.org.uk/sigs-branches/sea/marine-traffic-and-navigation-group/news/follow-bbc-container|title=Follow the BBC container|publisher=Royal Institute of Navigation|access-date=22 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081024233536/http://www.rin.org.uk/sigs-branches/sea/marine-traffic-and-navigation-group/news/follow-bbc-container|archive-date= 24 October 2008|url-status= dead}}</ref>  The tracking unit suffered technical problems during December 2008.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/7600053.stm|title=The Box: latest location|website=news.bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2008-12-11|quote=Unfortunately, owing to some fiendish technical problems with the Box's GPS unit, this map will not update until mid December when repairs can be made.|date=2 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217153842/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/7600053.stm|archive-date=17 December 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the end of the project in 2009, the shipping container was donated by its owner, [[Nippon Yusen|Nippon Yusen Kaisha]] (NYK) to a charity to be turned into a [[soup kitchen]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8314116.stm|title=Lessons learned as the Box returns|date=2009-11-04|website=news.bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2020-02-08}}</ref>

==Cargoes==
{{Location map+|Earth|relief=1|float=right|width=300|caption=Route; 1:&nbsp;[[Port of Southampton]]→ 2:&nbsp;Greenock→ 3:&nbsp;Southampton→ 4:&nbsp;[[Port of Singapore]]→ 5:&nbsp;[[Port of Shanghai]]→ 6:&nbsp;[[Port of Los Angeles]]→ 7:&nbsp;Port of [[New Jersey]]→ 8:&nbsp;[[Santos, Brazil]]→ 9:&nbsp;[[Port of Hong Kong|Hong Kong]]→ 10:&nbsp;[[Port of Yokohama]]→ 11:&nbsp;[[Laem Chabang]], Thailand→ 12:&nbsp;Southampton<br>
Ports; [[File:Red pog.svg|8px]] Destination.  [[File:Blue pog.svg|8px]] Transhipment|places=
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=55.94957|long=-4.76415|position=left|background=#fff|label=<span title="Greenock, Scotland">&nbsp;2&nbsp;</span>}}<!--from [[Greenock]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=50.8965|long=-1.3968|position=right|background=#7f7|label=<span title="Southampton, England">&nbsp;1,3,12&nbsp;</span>|mark=Blue pog.svg}}<!--from [[Port of Southampton]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=1.264|long=103.840|position=bottom|background=#fff|label=<span title="Singapore">&nbsp;4&nbsp;</span>|mark=Blue pog.svg}}<!--from [[Port of Singapore]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=31.2|long=121.5|position=top|background=#fff|label=<span title="Shanghai, China">&nbsp;5&nbsp;</span>}}<!--from Shanghai-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=33.729186|long=-118.262015|position=left  |background=#fff|label=<span title="Los Angeles, United States">&nbsp;6&nbsp;</span>|mark=Blue pog.svg}}<!--from [[Port of Los Angeles]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=40|long=-74.5|position=right|background=#fff|label=<span title="New York, United States">&nbsp;7&nbsp;</span>}}<!--from [[New Jersey]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=-23.97|long=-46.3|position=bottom|background=#fff|label=<span title="Santos, Brazil">&nbsp;8&nbsp;</span>}}<!--from [[Santos, Brazil]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=22.33|long=114.12|position=left|background=#fff|label=<span title="Hong Kong">&nbsp;9&nbsp;</span>|mark=Blue pog.svg}}<!--from [[Port of Hong Kong]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=35.32|long=139.63|position=right|background=#fff|label=<span title="Yokohama, Japan">&nbsp;10&nbsp;</span>}}<!--from [[Port of Yokohama]]-->
  {{Location map~|Earth|lat=13.06|long=100.89|position=left|background=#fff|label=<span title="Laem Chabang, Thailand">&nbsp;11&nbsp;</span>}}<!--from [[Laem Chabang]]-->
}}
The Box arrived empty, already in its BBC branding.  It travelled to its first destination to take on its first cargo; a consignment of whisky from a [[Glasgow]]-based bottling plant to [[Shanghai]], China.  On arrival in Shanghai, the Box was met and reported on by British school pupils on a trip to China.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.derehamtimes.co.uk/news/dereham_pupils_china_trip_1_520923|title=Dereham pupils' China trip|date=22 October 2008|publisher=Dereham Times|access-date=2016-10-23}}</ref>

;(Empty)
:from Southampton Maritime, England, to a [[dry port]] at [[Coatbridge Central railway station|Coatbridge]], Scotland (by rail, behind [[Freightliner Group|Freightliner]] [[British Rail Class 66|66594]] ''NYK Spirit of [[Kyoto Protocol|Kyoto]]'')
:to [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]], Scotland (by road)
;[[Chivas Regal]] [[Scotch Whisky]]
:from Paisley via [[Greenock]], Scotland (by road)
:via [[Port of Belfast]], Northern Ireland, to [[Port of Southampton]] (on board {{MV|Vega Stockholm||2}})
:via [[Suez Canal]] and [[Gulf of Aden]]; reloaded at [[Port of Singapore]], to [[Port of Shanghai]], China (on board {{MV|Copenhagen Express||2}})
;[[Tape measure]]s, cosmetics, and gardening products for [[Big Lots]]
:from Port of Shanghai via Japan and Pacific Ocean, to [[Port of Los Angeles]], United States (on board {{MV|NYK Starlight||2}});
:via [[New Jersey]] (by rail)
:to [[Pennsylvania]] (by road)
;[[Ink]], [[Spearmint (flavour)|spearmint flavouring]], [[Food additive|additives]], and [[Polyester|polyester fibre]]<ref>{{Cite news|access-date=18 January 2009|work=[[BBC News]]|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/7600053.stm|title=The Box: latest location|quote=The Box has left New York for Santos in Brazil with a cargo of household goods. The Box spent Christmas in the United States ... owing to continuing technical problems with the Box's GPS unit beyond our) control, we will only be able to make sporadic updates to this map.|date=2 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112073329/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/7600053.stm|archive-date=12 January 2009|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Duffy|first=Gary|title=Trade woes as the Box arrives in Brazil|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7880602.stm|work=BBC News|access-date=26 April 2011|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>
:from New York, (on board {{MV|Iwato||2}}, IMO9106807, formerly ''Eagle I'')
<!--:via [[Savannah, Georgia]], United States-->
:to [[Santos, Brazil]] (by sea)<!--(arrived 6 February 2009, taken by truck on 7 February 2009, empty container returned by truck to carrier 11 February 2009)-->
;[[Monosodium glutamate]] and [[auto part]]s
:from Santos via [[Cape of Good Hope]] and Singapore (on board {{MV|Aquitania||2}}, IMO9178288, call sign: A8HJ6)
:reloaded at [[Port of Hong Kong]] to [[Port of Yokohama]], Japan (on board {{MV|NYK Clara||2}}, IMO9355408, call sign: 9VFW9)
;Various (consolidated cargo)
:from Yokohama 15 August 2009 (on board {{MV|Ratana Thida 230||2}}, IMO9117129, call sign: HSAG2)
:to [[Laem Chabang]], Thailand (expected: 23 August 2009)
;Tinned catfood
:from [[Lat Krabang]], Bangkok, Thailand on 25 September 2009, due to arrive at Southampton, United Kingdom on 21 October 2009.

Later arrived in Southampton on 22 October at around 3{{nbsp}}am, unloaded with crane L, being driven by Lee Harfield, the same driver who had loaded it when it left Southampton.
<!--full tracking log/details are on the Talk: page-->

GPS tracking stopped on 4 April 2009, shortly after passing [[Mauritius]].

==Similar projects==
*A 2007 book, ''Around the World in 40 Feet; Two Hundred Days in the Life of a 40FT NYK Shipping Container'', written by Richard Cook and Marcus Oleniuk, detailed the journey of another NYK container.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/pages/industry-news/article?EBCE6EDA-B22A-4381-9397-E44E924EAE8E|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725155258/http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/pages/industry-news/article?EBCE6EDA-B22A-4381-9397-E44E924EAE8E |archive-date=2011-07-25|title=The BBC container departs from Greenock|website=The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK|access-date=22 October 2008}}</ref>
*''[[Logistics (film)|Logistics]]'', a 2012 [[experimental film]], follows the production and shipping associated with a [[pedometer]] over the course of 35 days; ''Logistics'' is considered to be the [[List of longest films|longest film ever produced]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2008/the_box/default.stm BBC News home page for The Box project]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/7600053.stm Live updating map of the Box's position]
*[https://www.flickr.com/photos/13941638@N00/2868268706/ Image of The Box]

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[[Category:BBC]]
[[Category:Intermodal containers]]
[[Category:2008 in transport]]
[[Category:2009 in transport]]