Shipping Containers Blog

Posts Tagged ‘used shipping containers’

There are many types of shipping container conversions.   Shipping Containers themselves, whether new or second hand containers, lend themselves to many projects large or small.  Their shape, and the fact that they are made of weather resistant corten steel, mean that they are very versatile and can be built up in blocks to many different configurations.    But how do you start planning such a project?

At the beginning of this year CS Shipping Containers were contacted by Chiswick Horticultural Association to quote - and then to build - a community centre which would be made out of seven second hand 20ft shipping containers.   It was to consist of a large open plan space with seperate areas for a kitchen and toilets.

But how do you go from a bare site, then groundworks as pictured above to having a completed project?

This series of posts will follow the progress of the project from when we received the order, the conversion of the individual units at the fabrication plant where the insulation, lighting and heating, toilets and kitchen were put into the shipping containers, the delivery and craning of the units onto the site, and the assembly itself.

For those planning multi-container conversions, this should give a better idea of what is involved.  They will compare the merits of using new shipping containers to used shipping containers, the ways in which containers can be got onto a site with restricted access, as well as general points to consider when planning a conversion.

The Travelodge hotel in Uxbridge opened for business on August 15th. It was put together in record time and cost only 75% of a traditional construction.

The difference? It was put together from purpose made modular shipping containers which were shipped over from Shenzen in China to England, and then fitted together in a framework to form the hotel.

Shipping Containers are ideal for conversion into living space and the fact that they are easily transportable means that they create the minimum of disturbance to the existing infrastructure. But do we have to have containers especially made and shipped over from China when there are tens of thousands of good quality used shipping containers already in England just waiting to be converted?

Modern methods of insulation, ventilation and finishes mean that many options are now available to make the most out of the existing cargo containers we have in Britain. Surely this something we could be capitalising on in preparation for the Olympics where we will need additional accommodation quickly and cheaply?

But why wait until then? What about the nurses, doctors, firemen, policemen and teachers who all need affordable accommodation that is close to where they work? Wouldn’t accommodation made from shipping containers provide an affordable solution?

I am often being asked to give details of size and weight of shipping containers, so I thought it would be useful to attach a table giving the details.

These are the most common sizes of used shipping containers although there are, other more specialist containers such as flat racks etc that might be of interest to some of you and which we will feature on another occasion.

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!

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.

Yesterday we were talking about container dimensions for the most commonly used shipping containers.  This prompted several of you to ask me about what other containers were used for transportation.  Today’s post therefore, features three of the specialist containers I mentioned yesterday.

Flat racks or platforms are ISO containers that do not have side walls and are used to transport heavy machinery. They often have collapsible ends for ease of transportation when not in use.  They are often very popular for over sized pallets as well.

• Open top containers are shaped like a box and can be loaded from the top or end. Their main purpose is to carry heavy, tall or hard-to-load materials such as coal or grain.  They  are basically steel containers that have a tilt at the bottom and a tarpaulin cover and can be seen quite commonly on trains.

• Finally tank containers  or bulktainers which are used to transport liquid or bulk materials. They are built to the same standard dimensions as other ISO containers but are cylindrical vessels mounted in a rectangular steel framework.

These then are some more of what seems to be an infinite variety of shipping containers that you might comonly see when travelling by road, sea or train.

I would be the first to admit that shipping containers are not the most beautiful of things to look at - particularly when they have been in use for sometime. They often have dents and scratches on them and look shabby after carrying cargo for a number of years. So imagine my surprise when I came across this photograph which makes a depot full of new and used shipping containers look - well at the risk of sounding all poetic - like a jewelled wonderland.

These cargo containers are sited in downtown Chicago, and I would be the first to admit that the lighting has a large amount to do with the overall effect. Shipping Containers are really not designed to be beautiful, just practical. Yet, as we have seen before, shipping containers can be converted into beautiful things. Just look at this house which is made out of them.

So maybe beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all - at least as far as a shipping container is concerned?

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.

Now I don’t mean by this that I am going to talk to you about painting your second hand shipping container green so it blends into the countryside.   This blog is about how by buying a shipping container you can flex your environmentally friendly muscles and feel good about the fact that you have done your bit to help the planet (and got a really good product into the bargain!!).

1. If you decide to buy a second hand shipping container then, obviously, you are recycling an industrial product by giving it a new life.   Most people use their ex-shipping container as a means of storage.  With the addition of a lockbox and a hardened steel shackle padlock you have a storage container that is not only extremely secure but has a whole new useful purpose.
2. New/once used shipping containers also can be environmentally friendly.   When used as part of a construction project these containers can be erected in much less time (and therefore use much less energy) than traditional construction methods.  A recent well known example of this was the Travelodge in Uxbridge.  Costs were a third .  less than a traditional build, and construction took a matter of months.  All achieved by using purpose built containers which were put together in no time on site.
3. Shipping containers can be converted into affordable housing that is ideal for enabling nurses, teachers, students etc to live near to their place of work/study.   This  reduces the carbon footprint by abolishing the need to commute.
4. On the subject of accommodation, shipping container conversions slot easily into towns and cities without requiring much - if any - additional infrastructure.   They can be easily transported onto brown field sites and connected up with minimum disturbance to their surroundings.
5. The flat roof of a shipping container is ideal for housing solar panels or growing a “green roof”.   The use of ceramic thermal paint for insulation means that the containers themselves are often better insulation than traditional houses.
6. Shipping Containers are often used as receptacles for recycling.   Think of the containers where you put your old newspapers in car parks for example.  10ft containers are frequently used to recycle clothes, shoes and the like.
7. Charities re-use shipping containers to transport items such as medical equipment, classroom furniture, books and clothes (all of which are being recycled themselves) to Africa etc.  Afterwards the container is often used to provide the community with additional covered space.
8. At the end of a containers useful life it can be totally re-used by recycling the steel and wood and turning them into something else.

These days going green and doing your bit for the environment has never been so popular.   Often, however, it involves additional effort and compromise.   With a shipping container  not only are you going green by giving an essentially industrial product a new life but you will have a supremely adaptable and long lasting practical product helping you in your everyday life -  in whatever role you have chosen for it!!

Earlier this month Hurricane Gustav threatened to hit New Orleans.  The city was evacuated in preparation.  Everyone held their breath.

The American Red Cross prepared Shipping Containers in readiness.  They planned to use them as storage for all the equipment and provisions that would be needed to cope with the fall out from Gustav.

In the event, although the 20ft containers were still needed, Hurricane Gustav lost its momentum over the Gulf of Mexico, and ended up being classed as a Tropical Storm instead.  New Orleans survived.

Yet shipping containers are used in many other emergency situations throughout the world.

In Australia and New Zealand the steel containers are often used to provide temporary secure housing that is easily transportable and infinitely adaptable.

In China this year after the earthquakes they used shipping containers to provide storage, office and housing.

Whilst we get excited about the amazing things that Architects do with shipping container conversions, such as the Containart Pavillion we featured yesterday, it can be easy to forget how the adaptability and the easily transportable qualities of a shipping container can be used in their most basic form to help out in a crisis.