The power of design

IIT professor's collapsible container design could change the cargo trade .

Billions of dollars and more importantly fuel is wasted in transporting empty containers across the planet . This generates pollution and waste . The new container designed by Anoop Chawla and Sudipto Mukherjee from IIT Delhi can be collapsed or erected in 4 minutes . A special platform , or base station , folds the containers hydraulically to one quarter it's size . This means that 4 empty containers can be transported in the space and cost of 1 .

The potential planetary impact of this innovation is significant .
- Reduced need for fuel
- Lesser pollution
- Cost effectiveness in transport which will (eventually) lead to reduced prices of the products transported
- Reduced waste / time lag in meeting requirements . Currently a problem in several parts of the world where trade is hindered / paralysed for want of containers .

It could take a few years before the benefits of this new container design is experienced worldwide . The beginning has been made .To paraphase a bank ad (I forget which one ) ' someday all shipping will be done this way' .