Carbon fibre composites could transform the shipping container, by making it lighter and more easily scanned. The steel container currently used is cheaper to produce; it costs about $3000 as opposed to $8000 for the carbon fibre, but because the carbon fibre version is lighter it would save significantly on diesel used to haul it. The plastic shipping container is roughly half the weight of steel, is corrosive resistant and could be made to fold flat when empty.
All containers must be scanned when entering UK ports, and the carbon fibre version would be scanned using cheaper and less dangerous lower level x-rays.
