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The global shipping publication American Shipper launched in 1974 with the goal to serve the needs of all players involved in international shipping, providing important information to shippers, carriers and third parties.

Founded by late maritime journalist David A. Howard, the magazine began as the Florida Journal of Commerce until Howard saw a need for a national publication focused on shipping. He relaunched the publication as American Shipper in May 1974. This was decades before the internet would take the publishing world by storm, so American Shipper was a monthly printed magazine for all things international shipping.

FreightWaves acquired American Shipper in 2019, and it serves the global shipping industry to this day — now in a digital capacity.

There is much to be said for the efficiency and convenience of online journalism, but creative and enticing cover images that beckon readers to open print publications’ pages also have great appeal. FreightWaves manages the archives of American Shipper and each week posts an article from the early days of the magazine as a flashback. In these archives, beautiful, funny and sometimes just plain weird cover images start off each issue.

We’ve compiled some of our favorites from the 1990s, the third decade of the publication in its print form.

This artistic illustration from March 1990 plays on terminology used during the Cold War. (Photo: American Shipper)

Barbies made for a unique cover of this issue from June 1990. (Photo: American Shipper)
A stork carrying a baby over a cityscape is an eye-catching image from the July 1991 issue. (Photo: American Shipper)
This illustration from the November 1991 issue takes us back to the days when funny political comics were prominent. (Photo: American Shipper)
This illustration from the September 1992 issue is a fun take on the phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen.” (Photo: American Shipper)
This “watchdog” on the September 1994 issue doesn’t look to us like he is about to bite. (Photo: American Shipper)
This cover from February 1992 has us scratching our craniums. (Photo: American Shipper)

The Rubik’s Cube on the cover of the January 1998 issue is the perfect nostalgic throwback. (Photo: American Shipper)
The September 1999 issue is the embodiment of a post-New Year’s Eve bash. (Photo: American Shipper)
The March 1999 illustration of a container trying on clothes is both adorable and humorous. (Photo: American Shipper)

Check out the best cover designs from the 1980s and 1970s of American Shipper’s archives.

FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter!

Have a topic you want me to cover? Email me at bjaekel@freightwaves.com or follow me on Twitter.

The post The best cover designs from American Shipper’s 1990s magazine issues appeared first on FreightWaves.

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