Port Newark and the Origins of Container Shipping (Rutgers University Press, 2022)
Container shipping is a vital part of the global economy. Goods from all around the world are placed in large metal containers, which are transported across the ocean in ships, then loaded onto tractor-trailers and railroad flatbeds. But when and where did this world-changing invention get started? In this book, Angus Gillespie traces the birth of containerization to Port Newark in New Jersey, when trucker Malcolm McLean came up with a new way to transport cargo.
Salon Talks are an opportunity for local American Studies scholars to share their published work with an intimate audience. They tend to be small, lively, and informative. This semester all Salon Talks will be held at 6:30pm EDT on Zoom. If you have questions, contact Sarah Chinn at