Andi f anyone can find it the documentary "The box that changed Britain" http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00scpzn is really good, especially on the social aspects (e.g. dock workers and indistrial heartland collapse).
"The Box" is a great book. If anyone is into podcasts I can recommend this Omega Tau episode http://omegataupodcast.net/146-container-shipping/ Full disclosure: I am one of the persons being interviewed.
Another great book is "Ninety Percent of Everything: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry That Puts Clothes on Your Back, Gas in Your Car, and Food on Your Plate" by Rose George. It covers the wider world of international shipping but containers are obviously a key part of the story.
There is also a good BBC documentary, "The Box that chnaged Britain" about the social and economic impact of the shipping container on Britain.