Between them they carry nearly everything we eat, wear and work with. In this unique investigation, Rose George joins the crew of a container ship to chart the murky waters of international shipping, with its powerful naval fleets, pirate gangs, and illegal floating factories, to reveal the hidden industry upon which our world turns and our future depends.

"Arresting, sharply observed, deeply researched and compelling. Plenty of books promise to reveal the secrets of little-known worlds but few actually deliver. This is one that does" - Melanie McGrath, Sunday Telegraph