3.1B Transport technology and globalisation

• Shrinking World Theory 


  This is when travel time between places decreases and distance declines in terms of its significance. It is generally brought about by transport innovations and improvements

  e.g. Airbus A380 flew from Paris to Adelaide in just 20 hours in 2013.
• Time Space Compression 


  Heightened connectivity changes our conception of time, distance and potential barriers to the migration of people, goods, money and information. This percentual change is called time-space compression.
• Shrinking World Effect 


  As travel times fall due to new innovations, different places approach each other in space-time: they begin to feel closer together than in the past
• Innovations in Transport

  • Steam power
  • Railways
  • Jet Aircraft
  • Container Ship
• Steam Power

  • Moved goods and armies quickly along trade routes in Asia and Africa by steam trains and ships.
  • Led to Britain becoming Leading World power in the 1800s
• Railways

  • 1800- expanded quickly
  • 1904- 9000km Trans-Siberian railway Moscow with Japan
  • Railway Construction is still a priority worldwide
  • Bullet train has the ability to reach the speeds of 250mph
• Jet Aircraft

  • Changed the world socially, economically, and politically
  • Cruise faster than about 609mph cutting travel times massively
  • Airliners began to develop and cater towards commercial flights after WW1
  • Airliner- An aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers or cargo in commercial service
  • Early 1900s- Flights were 1-2 hours max
  • 1930s- Long Haul flights expanded as companies competed in the provision of Transatlantic travel
• Container Ship

  • Cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size containers
  • Caused a revolution in the World of shipping
  • Lowered shipping expense
  • Decreased shipping time
  • Caused a growth in international trade
  • An extremely accurate tracking system- revolutionised on time guaranteed delivery
• What is the primary benefit of containerisation in transport?


  It reduces transport costs for goods.
• How does containerisation lower costs associated with 'break bulk cargo'?


  By dramatically lowering costs of loading products individually.
• What effect does less time spent changing transport types have on trade?


  It leads to more trade and cheaper goods.
• What impact has containerisation had on consumer goods?


  It has dramatically sped up goods trade and reduced costs.
• What type of containers are primarily used in containerisation?


  Standardised metal/steel boxes.
• Why are containers described as inter-modal?


  Because they can be quickly transferred from a ship to a lorry or railway.
• How has the process of unloading containers changed over time?

  It has become mechanised and increasingly automatic.
• What was the traditional method of loading cargo before containerisation?


  Loading manually in crates or stacks.
• What is one of the labour-related benefits of containerisation?

  It reduces labour costs as fewer dockworkers are required.
• How does containerisation affect losses from theft?

  It results in fewer losses from theft.
• What is the transport cost of moving an iPhone or television from China to the UK?

  Less than £1.
• How does containerisation affect the time spent queuing at ports?

  It reduces the time wasted queuing at a port waiting to unload.
• What is the effect of faster transport times on perishable products?

  It increases the distance they can be transported.
• How does containerisation open up more distant markets for products like cut flowers from Kenya?

  By increasing transport speeds and reducing losses.