Shipping Containers Blog

Posts Tagged ‘corten steel’

Shipping containers are used for more than import/export of goods. They are used by the shipping industry, businesses and individuals as a way of keeping items safe.

Steel storage containers are  secure methods for storing expensive tools and equipment.   Made of durable, corten steel they have a weatherproof patina which is especially designed to enable the storage container to resist rust.  The double doors are fitted with a high security locking system which can be further enhanced by the addition of a container lock box.

The container lockbox is a steel shroud, which protects the padlock and prevents access by bolt croppers, chisels or angle grinders.  When used with hardened steel shackled padlocks unauthorised entry to the shipping container becomes very difficult.  Shipping container security is greatly enhanced as a result.

So when you need additional space to store your items securely, think about the advantages a shipping container can offer for them.

The cost of new /once used shipping containers has been rising.  Even though cost wise shipping containers compare favourably to other means of secure storage, in the last month the cost of a 20ft new /once used shipping container has increased by nearly £200.  The next batch of new containers exported in from China is likely to be more expensive again.   Why should that be when the price of steel is dropping?

Shipping Container cost has always been dependant on both the condition of the container and its location (and therefore the transportation costs involved).   The market price of its principal constituent, corten steel, has also been relevant.  These are the factors that most people would consider to be the controlling influence on the cost of shipping containers.   What is often not taken into consideration as far as shipping containers are concerned is the effect of the currency exchange rate. 

For shipping containers, the currency exchange rate has had a major effect on the cost.   Anything to do with shipping uses the US Dollar as its currency.   As we all know the Pound Sterling has been dropping significantly against the US Dollar and this has meant that there are less shipping containers to the pound!   However, this has resulted in two other knock on effects on the cost of shipping containers.

 Firstly, as far as new shipping containers are concerned , the price increase has meant that less new shipping containers are being ordered.  As a direct result of this  some of the factories in China (the main producer of new shipping containers) have closed - and as we all know less competition is never a good thing for competitive pricing!

Secondly, the shipping industry itself is suffering in this recession with less actual shipping happening on a world-wide basis.   This has meant that the shipping lines are tightening their belts and are holding onto their  existing shipping containers for longer.  There are therefore less used shipping containers coming onto the market.  At the moment the second hand market is holding steady price wise, but prices will no doubt rise as second hand containers become scarcer.

All is not doom and gloom however.   In comparison to many other forms of storage, shipping containers are - and will be - priced favourably.  After all many other materials are also increasing in price due to the market conditions!    Shipping container conversions such as offices, accommodation and classrooms are going to continue to be a more economic solution than conventional building methods.  The modular construction of shipping containers and their integral strength mean that they are not only ideally suited for many projects but also that they are always going to be quicker to assemble and instal than bricks and mortar.  The fact that the containers are designed to be easily transported by road, rail and sea mean that delivery of the containers onto site  is not a problem.  In short, despite the price increases, shipping containers still have a lot going for them! 

How long this world-wide recession and the weakness of the Pound Sterling will continue is open to speculation.   What will always be true is that shipping containers will continue to be a versatile and economic solution.

When thinking about Shipping Container Sales (or even hire) there are quite a few things you should consider.   Here are 10 that you might want to keep in mind.

1. The cheapest  to buy are 20ft Shipping Containers or 40ft Shipping Containers.  This is because these are the most common sizes used by the Shipping Lines/Transport Companies etc and therefore the most readily available.   Sizes such as 10ft etc are often cut down from larger containers and, due to the labour involved, are often more expensive.
2. Your shipping Container should be made out of corten steel.   This is a highly rust resistant and strong material that is weather resistant.   If you are considering buying  second hand shipping container then it will probaby be painted in the colours of a Shipping Line Company.   There will probably be places where the paint has been scraped and a brown surface layer will have formed.   This is not rust!   Corten steel forms this patina to stop rust getting to the underneath layer.   Your steel container should last another 10-15 years.
3. You should check that your container comes with a wind and watertight guarantee.   When you take delivery of your shipping container walk inside it and look for any holes in the sides and don’t forget to look up and check the roof!   This should be easy in the daylight as the sunlight will show through any holes there might be.
4. The floor of a standard shipping container is made out of 27mm timber.   Check that there are no soft spots in the floor that might give way when the container is loaded.
5. Make sure that your shipping container is sited on level ground.   This means that the doors will open smoothly.   When the container is empty this potential problem is often not obvious as the doors will probably open easily.   However, once the container is loaded if the container is not sited on the level then things are about to get a whole lot worse!
6. If you are going to use your container for shipping then make sure it has a CSC certificate or plate.   This will ensure that your container is cargo worthy and that you have no problems when delivering it to the port for shipping.  Remember that a lot of people choose to buy their container rather than hire is so they can use it as a shipping container conversion once they get to their new country.
7. If you have any concerns about the security of your container have a lock cowl or lockbox put on at the depot before delivery.   This is a metal box that is welded on to the container doors to protect the padlock from illegal access and tampering from bolt croppers or angle grinders etc.
8. Some insurance companies offer a premium discount if you use an insurance approved heavy duty container padlock such as CISA.   It is worth asking the insurance company you use to insure your container’s contents whether they do.
9. If you are worried about condensation then it may be worth considering lining the container.   This can be carried out at the depot and can be done in a variety of ways.   The most common is done using ply either without or without the addition of rockwool behind.  You could also consider using a “thermal blanket” - the method used by a large number of the shipping lines themselves.  A cheaper alternative to the problem of condensation is a moisture trap.  These last for 4 months and suck up 2.5 litres of water.   They are extremely effective but you do have to keep replacing them.
10. Finally, make sure that when you arrange delivery of your container you take into account the access to your site.   If there are overhanging trees, low cables or the lorry has to cross a field then the lorry might not be able to deliver your container and you will be charged for wasted transport.   It is always worth checking at the time of purchasing your container and, if there are concerns, sending photographs of the site or arranging a site visit to make sure that your container can be delivered.

If you are planning on emigrating, there are two ways to move your home contents – by air or by sea.   If you choose to ship your items it will obviously take longer for them to arrive at their final destination although usually it will save you money.   When you are trying to decide which option to choose, look at both air and sea options in terms of cost and time and don’t forget to factor in any furnished rentals you may need to pay for in the interim.  You can undertake the whole move yourself, or pay an international mover to take care of it for you.   Much will depend on your budget but, even if this is comparatively small, it could be worth talking to a professional as there are various options available that mean you can take on some of the process yourself and keep the price down!
If you do decide to move by sea, you will probably use a shipping container.   These are available to buy or hire and are made of corten steel.  These steel containers are extremely rust resistant and strong and are able to be delivered to your home so that your belongings can be packed inside.  Remember that you can either load straight away if you do not have too much stuff, or you can have the container left for a few weeks whilst you pack at your leisure.
 If you do decide to buy your own shipping container – and many people do, finding it extremely useful to have as additional storage space or as the basis of a conversion once they have arrived in their new country – then you must make sure that your container is sea worthy.   The phrase CSC plated is often used to determine whether the shipping container is suitable for shipping.   CSC stands for “Container Safety Convention” and the plate is usually attached to the shipping container doors and acts as the equivalent of a passport for the container.  Second hand shipping containers over 5 years old, can be tested and awarded a certificate that needs to be presented to the shipping line that is moving your container.  Basically this ensures that your shipping container is strong enough to be lifted safely on and off the ship with your home contents inside.
But how do you decide which size of shipping container will take all the contents of your home?  The standard sizes are either 20ft or 40ft and the easiest way to judge the size is to imagine that a 20ft shipping container as the size of a single garage and a 40ft shipping container the size of a double garage.   Whilst there are other sizes of shipping containers available generally these would need to go as special cargo and therefore be more expensive to ship.     Shipping containers are normally loaded onto the boat as cargo and must fit into the boat’s schematic.   Therefore all the 20ft containers are usually stacked together and similarly all the 40fts.  
Once you have loaded your container, it should be collected and moved to the port by rail or road where it can be loaded onto the ship.   Once your goods have arrived in your new country, the container is then unloaded and must pass through customs.   International movers should be able to help you with all the necessary forms and are often responsible for clearing your goods.  Don’t forget that depending on which country you have moved to it may be possible to claim back the vat you will have paid on your container.
From there on in you are on the home straight (as it were)!  It is simply a matter of getting your shipping container to your new house and unpacking.  
Best of luck!

Shipping Containers are often chosen as home storage containers over the more traditional wooden sheds. There are a variety of reasons for this other than the fact that shipping containers are generally cheaper and more easily transportable. Perhaps the most important is the fact that the steel containers offer an extremely secure method of storage for personal belongings.

Whether the reason for needing home storage containers is as a result of a delayed house move, a major rennovation project or clearing space in the garage or spare room, there has been an increasing need for additional storage. It has been argued that the recent credit crunch has meant that many people are down sizing or continuing to rent whilst waiting for housing prices fall further, and this has meant increased demand for such storage.

There are a number of advantages to using shipping containers as home storage containers. The containers are made of corten steel -which is extremely strong and weather proof, having been developed to withstand marine conditions. The strength of the iso specification is such that shipping containers can be used to support bridges and therefore this makes them extremely durable and long lasting. The doors are fastened with locking rods that, when coupled with a lock box and a heavy duty container padlock makes illegal access difficult.

Lock boxes are sometimes referred to as lock cowls, lock shrouds or padlock boxes. As far as home storage containers are concerned their function is to protect the padlock from angle grinders or bolt croppers adding to the security aspect.

Shipping containers come in a variety of sizes - both standard and adapted - making them idea for home storage containers. The basic width of a container is 8ft with the height being normally 8ft 6″- although 9ft 6″ high cube containers are available. The length can then be adapted and is usually anything from 8ft to 40ft. The industry standard lengths are 20ft and 40ft (making these the cheapest options) but these can be cut down to any other length to fit into the space available.

Finally, shipping containers are easily transportable. They are often delivered and offloaded by a lorry with a hi-ab crane which makes the placement of the container at your home extremely easy.

Home storage containers that are flexible in size, extremely secure and easily delivered to your home - shipping containers have to be an option worth considering.

Regular readers may remember one of our articles last month depicting shipping containers holding up a bridge in Utah. This demonstrated their incredible strength.

We have been told of a worrying trend in metal boxes that are claiming to be shipping containers and are in fact nothing of the sort.   On these boxes only the metal corners are in fact “ISO standard” corners.  The rest of the box is just metal and does not have the strong steel frame and corner posts of a genuine shipping container.  Shipping Companies and Logistical Services have issued a warning that these boxes ”do not have sufficient strength to withstand the same loads as a genuine ISO Container”.

What does this mean to you?  Simply that they cannot be shipped normally, that they do not stack safely and that they are not made of the weather resistant Corten steel of ISO shipping Containers.

That does not mean that they do not have a use in the domestic storage market - they do.   We just wish that the companies selling these boxes would point out that they are not shipping containers and therefore cannot be expected to have the same strength and weather resistance as the genuine article.  That way everyone would know where they stood and be able to make an informed decision on what they bought based on the facts.

There are many reasons for shipping container sales. Most second hand shipping containers are not, in fact, sold for shipping. The most common reason for the sale of containers is for storage. The sizes of shipping containers - which vary from 8ft long to 40ft long - make them extremely versatile at fitting in to a variety of spaces as storage containers. Add to this the fact that the corten steel construction, when coupled with a lock box and heavy duty container padlock, make shipping containers extremely secure, it is not surprising that so many of them are sold for storage.
But there are other reasons for shipping container sales. The block like structure of shipping containers make them very adaptable and ideal for container conversions. These conversions can take many forms. 20ft iso containers are often adapted to make offices, classrooms, workshops or site accommodation. The basic box is insulated and lined, fitted with electricity to provide electrical sockets, lighting and heating as well as having personnel doors, steel shuttered windows and suitable flooring. The result is an extremely flexible space that is easily transportable and, again by its very construction, secure.
Nowadays, however, developed techniques mean that the conversions that are undertaken are not just limited to one container. Shipping container sales often result in multiple containers being sold. They have been used for student accommodation at universities (many hundreds of containers!), community centres or youth centres (often consisting of sales of 4 or 5 containers) and work preparation areas (2 containers). And it does not stop there. Architects have been building attractive and affordable housing out of the containers, art centres and even state of the art coffee bars or tanks for surfing.
Shipping container sales are not longer limited to the shipping of goods. There are so many more uses to them than people wishing to transport their goods abroad when emigrating. These adaptable units provide a number of economic and adaptable solutions to everyday needs. Their flexibility not only saves money and - where major construction is concerned, time - these shipping container sales also carry a “green” seal of approval when what is an essentially industrial product is recycled for new use.

Shipping containers are often converted into offices for use on site, as classrooms or reception areas. They can be combined so that rather than being restricted to an 8ft width, you can have 16ft or 24ft etc simply by removing the sides and joining them together. The most common method of achieving a waterproof join is welding them together on site. Once this is done, however, it is impossible to easily move the container elsewhere without complicated transport arrangements being made for wide loads. An alternative is to use flanges and then seal the join to make it weatherproof. Although this is more expensive it has the advantage of allowing the office container to be moved easily should the need arise.

32x10ft site office

Site offices are often required to be vandal proof and this usually requires the container to be on jacklegs with windows that are protected by steel shutters and a sturdy security door - often kirncroft. The standard shipping container double doors are often removed and corrugated steel placed in its stead in order to reduce the risk of illegal access. The most common size for an office container is 20ft x 8ft.

Another common size of container is 32×10ft. These containers are made to order and are not, strictly speaking, shipping container conversions. It is important if the container is to be classed as vandal proof that you ask for certain features. The containers should still be made of corten steel in order to have extra strength (the steel being pressed and having a profile that is stronger than flat steel) and incorporate jack legs and steel window shutters as welll as the security door. The extra width is often useful and is not restrictive to easy road transportation and if you insist on the specification above you will have lost none of the advantages of a 20ft x 8ft shipping container office conversion.

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Shipping Storage Containers are shipping containers that are being used for static storage rather than shipping. Mind you the fact that the containers are extremely transportable is not to be disregarded. Even if the containers are to be used for storage they need to be delivered to site as easily and economically as possible. The fact that shipping containers were designed for easy “intermodal” transportation means that they are easily delivered by lorries fitted with a hi-ab crane and can be offloaded on site without any additional costs.

Shipping storage containers are used not only by individuals but by businesses. Just as the fact that these shipping containers can be placed easily on site appeals to the home storage market as much as it does to companies. The fact that stock or file archiving can be stored securely near to the office or clients without the need for taking more expensive commercial space appeals to the business user. Add to that the fact that these shipping storage containers are made of corten steel constrction of these iso containers makes them extremely strong and weather proof. Add to that that the lock boxes and heavy duty security padlocks make the container extremely secure then it is easy to see why shipping containers are so often used for storage containers.

Recently, however, shipping storage containers have been used as storage for more unusual items. A great deal has been written about companies like Dell and Hewlett Packard being used to house servers for computers. The flexibility of the container to be fitted out with racking and climatic control makes them extremely versatile and easily adaptable to give a variety of solutions to the different conditions that computer servers are being asked to withstand. Some of the containers that are even decked out with servers and situated off shore.

Heavy industry has not been left behind as far as the use of shipping storage containers is concerned. Generators are built into shipping containers that have been sound proofed and insulated. Industry also uses the containers to provide workshops or convert them for chemical storage.

The adaptation of shipping containers to storage containers is becoming more and more commonplace. The phrase shipping storage containers looks here to stay.

What on earth does a shipping container have to do with the Internet?   It does not seem like an obvious combination.  Large , industrial steel containers designed to be able to move cargo easily about the world don’t seem to have anything to offer the highly technological world of the Internet.  Yet, the very versatility and inherent strength of these containers mean that they do have a part to play.

Most of us have heard of the Internet Archive.   It was set up as a giant internet “library” which allows people to view any page on the internet from 1996 to the present day.   It is primarily meant as a resource for researchers, scholars and historians as it allows permanent access to all internet content.  An amazing undertaking.  Yet it doesn’t stop there.   The Internet Archive has now been expanded so that it also records programmes from tv channels worldwide, as well as films, music etc.

All that information - some 3,145,728 GB of web pages at the present time (and growing) - needs to be housed securely and  Sun Microsystems developed a modular infrastructure that is housed in a customised enclosure known as a Petabox.   Still with me?   Because now we get to the relevant bit.   These Petaboxes are packaged into a 20ft shipping container.  Why a shipping container?   The very construction of these units make them ideal for storage containers.   They are made of highly rust resistant and strong corten steel, are designed for easy transportation, and can be easily stacked like lego as the archive grows.   They can be insulated and modified to maintain ideal climatic conditions for storing data.  In short, shipping containers make ideal data centres as they allow them to be both secure and self contained.

Currently, it is an amazing fact that what is one of - if not the largest - digital archive in the world is housed in a 20ft shipping container.  Other companies such as Dell, Microsoft and Google, to name but a few, are also using shipping containers to house their own data centres in various locations around the world - some even off shore.  A whole new use for shipping containers.   Whoever would have thought that combining cutting edge technology with steel shipping containers could be so successful?