We supply used 20ft and 40ft shipping containers either standard height (DV) or High Cube (HC) from our various depots around the country.
As standard they will come with double cargo doors at one end only which open without any pillars or obstructions. The doors will have a fully intact heavy duty rubber seal that goes around the door to help keep the container contents dry in extremes of weather. The internal floor line is approx 5 inches above the external floor. They come with a marine plywood floor, that’s about 1-inch thick, throughout and lashing points along the top and bottom rails as well as on the corner posts at the non-door end.
Our used containers are only sourced direct from shipping companies or leasing companies and will be about 10 to 15 years of age. They will, of course, show signs of their life in the industry but, can be supplied with a valid CSC plate making them suitable for export use. CSC = Container Safety Convention. Meaning the container has a valid safety approval plate for international transport.
Only CSC plated containers will be accepted by shipping lines so, we always advise you buy your containers from a reputable container trader. If you buy from somewhere like EBay, you will need to find a depot that will inspect and repair the container so, whilst you might save a few pounds buying the container, the costs of transport, repairs and inspection will soon make that bargain a rather expensive choice.
Used shipping containers come with air vents and the number of these varies by manufacturer so, if you need a specific number of vents, these will have to be fitted at our depot. However, it is possible to buy vents and install them yourself or have us fit additional vents as might be required.
Used containers, as briefly mentioned earlier, will have a range of cosmetic flaws including scratches, dents and rust. However, shipping containers are produced using a steel alloy called ‘weathering steel’ which is more often referred to as COR-TEN steel. COR-TEN steel is a group of special steel alloys that were developed to eliminate the need for painting. COR-TEN forms a stable rust-like appearance after several years of weather exposure. This ‘weathering’ of the steel forms a protective layer on the surface. This will continually regenerate when subjected to the influence of the weather. Simply put, water cannot permeate the rust layer, thereby slowing the rusting process down when compared to mild steel.
During their lifetime, containers will have undergone repairs but, such repairs have to be performed to recognised standards otherwise the container will fail to pass its CSC inspection. For example damaged sections are often cut out and a new steel insert is added, minor damage to floor panels may be covered with a small steel plate, bigger areas of damage may require a replacement floor panel. Obviously being used, the wear and damage an individual container has experienced will vary from one container to the next.
You will however never receive a shipping container that has very large bows or is out of shape in terms of its capacity to store or carry goods. There will be no holes or leaks, the doors seals will be fully intact, the doors will be operating properly and the door gaskets are checked in our depots before the containers go out.
For your assurance, when you buy a used container from us, it will come with our industry leading 24-month wind & watertight guarantee (does not apply if the container is used for export use) and will be CSC plated for a minimum of 6 months from the date of purchase if being used for export purposes.
We will inspect and repair the container prior to delivery. Used containers are supplied in their original shipping/leasing company colours and liveries and being used, we cannot guarantee the cosmetics of the containers.
Your unit will be structurally sound with good doors and seals and a solid floor of about 24mm marine plywood. Lock boxes are not a standard fitment on used containers but, we can install a heavy-duty lock box prior to delivery. If you’re new to the work of shipping container, a lock box is a heavy-duty metal cover that protects the padlock from access with tools such as bolt-cutters and pry-bars.
If you have any questions about this article, our products or service please call our friendly team for free on 0800 999 8988 any time 08:30-17:00 weekdays or send us a message via the contact form on this website and we will get back to you.