Shipping Containers Blog

Posts Tagged ‘second hand shipping containers’

SHIPPING CONTAINERS ARE USED AS CLASSROOMS IN AFRICA
CS Shipping Containers are supplying Computers 4 Africa with shipping containers that can be converted into classrooms equipped with computers to give IT skills to people in Africa.  Sharon Roberts from Computers 4 Africa said “We are delighted to have this opportunity to be working with CS Shipping Containers”.

CLASSROOM IN A CONTAINER
A major fund-raising campaign has seen over 18 shipping containers being delivered in the last fortnight to the Computers 4 Africa bases in Sheffield and Scotland where they will be converted into classrooms. The second hand shipping containers are a mixture of 20ft and 40ft sizes and will have desks fitted with donated computers, laptops and IT equipment.   The corten steel construction of a shipping container means that they are ideal for classrooms as they are strong and secure as well as weatherproof – and, of course, shipping containers can be cheaply shipped and easily transported on by road.

Shippng Containers Housing Computers 4 Africa

These are made of numbers of shipping containers, either 20ft or 40ft, often piled up 5 or 6 high and used as either windbreaks, enclosures or even as giant advertising hoardings.

Recently, the film Gulliver’s Travels, which is being made at Pinewood Studios, used over 80 second hand shipping containers - both 20ft and 40ft - to form a backdrop.   Covered with green cloth, the shipping containers were cheaper to use, and quicker to assemble , than the more conventional scaffolding.  

The world of drama often uses shipping containers, indeed the second series of the highly popular drama “The Wire” as based around the freight port in Baltimore.  Closer to home “Dr Who” has used shipping containers.

We have also got used to seeing walls of containers used as advertising hoardings.  Companies all across the UK are using the walls to promote their profile - often using additional container doors set into the back of the wall of containers so that they can be used for traditional storage as well.

Today is the European Team Championships for the world of athletics.  The stadium in Leira, Portugal, although traditionally constructed, is brightly coloured and made me think of shipping containers.     With the approach of the 2012 olympics maybe we should consider using shipping containers to quickly form stadiums for our athletes to practice in.   Obviously this could be taken up to the ultimate level with shipping containers converted into actual stands of seating, but at their simplest  they would provide the ideal windbreak.

Shipping Container Walls maybe the most basic of  “conversions” but they certainly have their uses!

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 UK can be either new/once used or second hand. Which you choose depends largely on your budget and importance of the look of the container. For example, a shipping container that is going to be used for storage and placed in front of a commercial premises visited by customers, probably needs to look nicer than a storage container placed out of the way.
New/once used containers are manufactured in China and shipped over with one load in them. As such these shipping containers uk are usually in excellent, almost pristine condition. The paintwork generally tends to be plain and not emblazoned with the shipping lines logo all over them - something which is generally much more aesthetically pleasing. New/once used containers will normally last for 20-30 years.
Second hand shipping containers uk should not be disregarded. They are often guaranteed to be wind and watertight and structurally sound and they shipping lines logo can be obliterated by having the container painted a colour of your choice. Second hand, shipping containers are usually about half the price of a new/once used one and should last 15-20 years.
An important part of the cost of all shipping containers uk is where the dealer’s depot is in relation to where you want them to be delivered to. Haulage is normally by a lorry with a hi-ab crane allowing them to be offloaded on site without any additional expense. Diesel is not cheap and obviously the further the lorry has to travel the more money it is going to cost. If you are buying your shipping container from a dealer always ask whether you are being charge haulage at cost or whether there is some sort of “administration” fee.
Finally, when you are buying your shipping container uk most prices quoted will be ex vat. Shipping containers are commercially rated and if you are not vat registered yourself you will have to allow for this to be added to the cost of the container.
There is a large supply of shipping containers in the uk of all different grades and in all sorts of locations. Spend time looking for a reliable dealer that has a location near you. Ask for the haulage price as well as the cost of the box. Somewhere there will be a box at a price and quality that will suit!

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.

Good quality second hand shipping containers make not only good financial sense - being about 50% cheaper than new/once used containers - but buying them is good for the environment. The simple fact is that in today’s economic climate it is cheaper for shipping companies to source their containers directly from the outbound port rather than to return used shipping containers from various locations all over the world. That means there a large numbers of good quality second hand shipping containers available for all sorts of uses. Those uses can vary from storage to conversions and - somewhat oddly seeing they have been discarded by the shipping lines - the shipping of goods by individuals.

But how to do ensure you get good quality second hand shipping containers? The first thing to ask that the company you source it from will guarantee that the container is wind and watertight and structurally sound. It is not always possible to visit the depot to see the actual shipping container yourself so this guarantee is very important. Secondly, remember that the age of the shipping container is not the best way to judge the condition of the unit. Second hand shipping containers will vary according to how they have been treated - for example a new/once used container that has been dropped by a forklift and therefore “blown” outwards is not going to be in such good condition as a storage container that has been properly sited for a number of years.

Once your second hand shipping container arrives, make sure that it is placed on level hard standing and that you check that the doors open and close freely. Look at the condition of the floor and make sure there are no obvious soft spots in the wood. Whilst inside the container inspect carefully the walls and especially the ceiling (which is often forgotten but is probably one of the most important areas to check) to see whether there are any pinpricks of light coming through that will tell you that the container is not wind and watertight. Finally, inspect the outside of the container to make sure that there is not an unreasonable amount of rust that, if untreated, will cause problems later on.
If you are going to use your container for storage you have now all the information you need to know whether you have a good quality second hand shipping container or not. If you are, however, going to use the container for shipping you should check the CSC plate - or the certificate if you have asked for one - to make sure that your container has been passed for shipping and will therefore be accepted by the shipping lines.
If you follow these simple rules you will not only have a second hand shipping container that will last you for many years, you will have saved money on a quality product and done your bit for the environment by recycling an industrial product.

If you are planning to buy a second hand shipping container for storage there are various factors that you should consider prior to purchase.

The most important is whether or not the ex shipping container is guaranteed to be wind and watertight.  Whilst in an ideal world it would be great to be able to inspect the container personally few of us actually have the time to travel to the nearest depot to look at used containers prior to purchase and so a guarantee is crucial.

If you are still concerned and you have an e-mail address it should be possible to get pictures sent so you can see how damaged or dented a shipping container is.  You should ask about the doors and the locking mechanism which vary in quality according to the make of container.

Some people are concerned about the colour of the cargo container, which varies according to the shipping line or manufacturer.  It is usually possible to get the container resprayed to a colour of your choice with dark green seeming to be the most popular colour.

Yesterday we discussed what was meant by new/ex-factory or once used containers.  Today, as promised sees the turn of the second hand container.  When you consider that only one in five containers arriving on our shores go back into shipping, you get some idea of how vast the second hand domestic market for shipping containers actually is.

The new/once used/ex-factory containers we discussed yesterday are obviously suitable for shipping but what about if you want to buy a second hand shipping container for shipping goods abroad - what should you look for?

Just because a second hand container is on the domestic market, it does not mean it can not be used as a cargo container taking goods abroad.  If the container is still structurally sound and carries a CSC plate in date - usually on the doors of the container - it can be shipped internationally.

CSC stands for “Container Safety Convention” and the plate, pictured above, features as the equivalent of a passport for the container to be shipped internationally.  The CSC plate is issued initially for 5 years after the date of manufacture of the container and from thereonafter the container must be examined every 30 months in order to keep the plate up to date.

Some buyers use the CSC plate as an assurance that the shipping container is suitable for domestic secure storage, as it means it has been independantly inspected within the previous two-and-a-half years -  but, a lot can happen to a container within that time, and so just because there is a valid CSC plate it does not guarantee that the container is still wind and watertight.

Tomorrow we will discuss what to look for when buying a second hand shipping container for domestic storage.  In the meantime I hope that this blog has gone some way to explaining what a CSC plate is for those of you who wish to ship goods abroad.