The tracking project was launched on 8 September 2008.[1] The project tracked a standard 40-foot-long (12.19 m) 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 previous route. If the container's GPS or communications signal was obstructed (such as having been stacked too far inside the ship's hold), the ship's own GPS location was used to manually update a map.[3] The tracking unit suffered technical problems during December 2008.[4]
Following the end of the project in 2009, the shipping container was donated by its owner, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) to a charity to be turned into a soup kitchen.[5]
Cargoes
The box started off empty, travelling to its first destination under the BBC branding. The first cargo was 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.[6]
from Yokohama 15 August 2009 (on board Ratana Thida 230, IMO9117129, Callsign 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 3am, unloaded with crane L, being driven by Lee Harfield, the same driver who had loaded it when it left Southampton.
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.[9]
^"The Box: Latest location". BBC News Online. 2 November 2009. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008. 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.
^"The Box: Latest location". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Archived from the original on 12 January 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2009. 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.