Did you know that 90% of the world’s goods are transported by sea? All of the exports from China, and other manufacturing nations are using boats to send the goods across the globe.
And that means millions and millions of shipping containers are floating around in the ocean every single day. But the shipping industry isn’t the only industry benefits from these metal boxes.
Because there are many different types of shipping containers, there are also many different ways to use them, from building tiny houses, to coffee shops and storage units, to everything in between.
Wondering if there’s a perfect cargo container out there for you? Keep reading below to learn all about the big metal boxes that make the logistics industry go round.
Dry Storage Container
Dry storage containers are the most common shipping containers in the world. They offer a basic shipping container design and come in lengths of either 20 or 40 feet long. You can also find some that are only 10 feet long.
These only have a door on one end. If you pack this container full, whatever you pack first will be the last items out.
As the name suggests, you can only use these to transport dry goods. Finished products and manufacturing materials are what usually fill these containers.
Tunnel Container
Tunnel containers are similar to dry storage containers but have doors on both ends. It’s much easier to access goods on either side of these containers. They are commonly used in local shipping, or for temporary storage units, where daily access to the contents is important.
Open-Side Containers
Rather than having narrow doors on the ends of the container, an open-side box has a large door on the side. This extra wide access makes it much easier to organize a shipping container as you load it, or to store larger items.
Insulated Containers
When the contents of a container are sensitive to extreme temperatures, you can use an insulated container. These will maintain the desired temperature for long periods of time but are still ideal for non-perishable goods.
You can monitor the temperatures remotely to ensure the safety of the contents. Since containers can be subject to high heat and direct sun during transportation, insulation can prevent the damage of goods by maintaining a lower internal temperature.
Refrigerated Containers
If you’re shipping perishable goods, the best shipping container is a refrigerated one. Not only are they insulated, but you can maintain the low temperature electronically, ensuring a safe temperature to transport food and other sensitive materials.
When you go to the grocery and buy bananas from Guatemala, or salmon from Norway, these are the containers that are delivering food to your country.
Flat Rack Container
Flat rack containers have collapsible sides. When not in use, they can be packed flat, so that they take up very little space on a ship or in a storage facility.
By taking down the roof or walls, you can also use these containers to store larger items that wouldn’t fit inside an enclosed container.
Open Top Container
These are essentially regular dry storage containers without a roof. The lack of a roof means that you can store taller items, yet still, maintain security with full-sized walls. Contents can also be loaded and unloaded from above if the right equipment is present.
Roll Container
Roll containers are foldable shipping containers made of colorful wire mesh. They sit on top of integrated rollers, making them easy to move around without having to load them onto the back of a truck each time.
Tanks
Shipping tanks are used more often than most people realize. These are the containers used to transport liquids in bulk. They are typically made of steel and resist corrosion, which helps to maintain the integrity of the liquid and protect against damage to other shipping containers nearby.
The tanks are round and are mounted to a rectangular frame for easy transport and stacking. They are most widely used to carry oil, chemicals, milk, vegetable oils, wine, and gases.
Half-Height Containers
Half-height containers have an open-top and are only half the height of standard shipping containers. These are used for materials like coal, that need to be dumped into a container from above.
What Can You Do With a Shipping Container?
Those who aren’t working in the logistics industry may still find shipping containers to be useful. There are many ways to use a container that doesn’t involve transporting anything.
Many businesses will use them as temporary, on-site storage units. They can store furniture and equipment while remodeling portions of their office building, for example.
Contractors will often use them to store tools and construction materials and keep them on-site for jobs that last a few months, or a few years.
And homeowners that like to tinker may even want to bring one home to use as a backyard studio, home office, or even as a tiny house.
In any of these cases, there are only a few shipping containers that would be useful to you. This includes the standard dry storage container if only one door is needed. Otherwise, it might be the tunnel container or the open side container.
Finding a Shipping Container to Buy
Finding shipping containers to buy isn’t that hard. You can purchase brand new containers at retail, and even pay to have them delivered to your location. But most consumers don’t need a brand new container, and would rather save money by picking up a used container.
Used shipping containers are plentiful, as shipping companies eventually need to replace their containers, once they get worn out or scratched up. You can learn more about buying used containers here.
You’re the biggest concern with buying a used container is transportation. Hopefully, the person or company you are buying it from can deliver it for you. Otherwise, you may have to find a huge truck that you can rent.
The Many Different Types of Shipping Containers
There are tons of different types of shipping containers used to transport the world’s goods. And as the logistics industry is pressured by greater and greater exports every single year, there will likely be new containers developed soon.
Although shipping containers are simple products, they empower our entire planet, and shouldn’t be taken for granted.
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