From break-bulk to containers: the transformation of general cargo handling and trade

Abstract

The era of containerisation has brought about considerable changes in maritime transport. This paper describes how general cargo handling and port operationss have been transformed in the wake of unitisation. It stresses that the changes have had far-reaching effects on port labour and upon the social and physical character of port cities. From places of intense labour activity, docks and their adjacent communities have been fundamentally re-structured. The bonds that produced vibrant communities characterised by strong social and political activism have been destroyed. The modern port city is shaped by technological developments that take place on sites far removed from the former docklands.