Heavy duty container used for shipping
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This article is about packaging in general. For 20- and 40-ft-long [6 and 12 m] metal boxes, see intermodal container
40 foot container
A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes. In the context of international shipping trade, "container" or "shipping container" is virtually synonymous with "intermodal freight container" (sometimes informally called a "sea can"), a container designed to be moved from one mode of transport to another without unloading and reloading.[1]
Intermodal freight containers
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A flatcar with a 20 ft tanktainer and an open-top 20 ft container with canvas cover
Freight containers are a reusable transport and storage unit for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries. There are about seventeen million intermodal containers in the world, and a large proportion of the world's long-distance freight generated by international trade is transported in shipping containers. In addition, it is estimated that several million of these containers have now been discarded due to the shipping cost of sending them back to their port of origin. Their invention made a major contribution to the globalization of commerce in the second half of the 20th century, dramatically reducing the cost of transporting goods and hence of long-distance trade.[2][3]
Specialized shipping containers include: high cube containers (providing an extra 1 ft (305 mm) in height to standard shipping containers), pallet wides, open tops, side loaders, double door or tunnel-tainers, and temperature controlled containers. Another specialized container, known as Transtainer, is a portable fuel and oil freight container. The hybrid bulk fuel tank is originally intended for the construction, mining, logging and farming sectors. The tank can be used to transport and store bulk fuels as well as dangerous liquids, by road, rail and sea.[4] Sea containers are crucial for modern logistics, offering a cost-effective storage and shipping solution. These durable containers, designed for international transportation, provide secure storage for goods with robust steel construction. Beyond shipping, they find applications in on-site storage and modular living or workspaces. Sea containers for sale provide an accessible and convenient solution, meeting diverse needs and promoting sustainability through their reuse.
Reusable steel boxes for use as truck-sized shipping containers first came into use around . It took some time for businesses to devise a structured process to utilize and to get optimal benefits from the role and use of shipping containers. Over time, the invention of the modern telecommunications of the late 20th-century made it highly beneficial to have standardized shipping containers, and made these shipping processes more standardized, modular, easier to schedule and easier to manage.[5]
Corrugated box
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Typical corrugated box (RSC)
Corrugated boxes are commonly used as shipping containers[6] (more than 90% of all shipping containers are of this type).[6][7] They are made of corrugated fiberboard which is lightweight, recyclable, and strong enough to ship a variety of products.
Wooden box
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Wooden boxes are often used for shipping heavy and dense products. They are sometimes specified for shipments of government or military shipments.
Crate
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A crate is a large container, often made of wood, used to transport large, heavy or awkward items. A crate has a self-supporting structure, with or without sheathing.
Reusable plastic versions include:
- Euro container
- Systainer, for shipping tools.
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A typical IBC.
An intermediate bulk container (IBC, IBC Tote, IBC Tank) is a multi-use container employed for the general transport, storage, and handling of bulk fluids and materials. IBC tanks are compatible with, and resistant to, an extensive list of chemicals, acids, caustics, as well as inert materials and food grade consumables. IBCs are commonly manufactured from the following materials:
- Plastic (high-density polyethylene)
- Composite: steel and plastic
- Carbon steel
- Stainless steel (304 and 316/316L SS grades)
Some IBC engineering models are foldable (collapsible) for space-saving breakdown following use.
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A flexible intermediate bulk container, FIBC, big bag, bulk bag, or super sack is a standardized container in large dimensions for storing and transporting granular products. It is often made of a woven synthetic material.
Bulk box
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A bulk box, bulk bin, skid box, or tote box is a pallet size box used for storage and shipping of bulk quantities.
Drum
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Example of steel drum
Drums are cylindrical shipping containers made of steel, plastic or fiber. They are often used for liquids and granular materials.
Insulated
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Insulated shipping containers are a type of packaging used to ship temperature sensitive products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. They are used as part of a cold chain to help maintain product freshness and efficacy.
Pail
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Some pails are used as shipping containers.[8]
Unit load device
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A "LD3-45" unit load device on a trailer
A Unit Load Device (ULD), is a container used to transport cargo on commercial aircraft. It can be a pallet or container used to load luggage, freight, and mail on wide-body aircraft and specific narrow-body aircraft. It allows a large quantity of cargo to be bundled into a single unit. Since this leads to fewer units to load, it saves ground crews time and effort and helps prevent delayed flights. Each ULD has its own packing list, manifest, or tracking identification to improve control and tracking of contents
Padded envelope
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A padded mailer is suited for shipment of small items.
Specialized
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A container for shipping weapons, with carrying handles
Custom containers are used for shipments of products such as scientific instruments, weapons and aviation components.[9] Customized cushioning, blocking and bracing, carrying handles, lift rings, locks, etc. are common to facilitate handling and to protect the contents. Often, these shipping containers are reusable.
The reusable ifco tray ("international fruit container") is used in Europe for transportation of fruit, vegetables, and fish.
Transit and flight cases
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Flight cases and transit cases are usually custom designed for shipping and carrying fragile equipment: audio visual, camera, instruments, etc. Although generally light in construction, they tend to have reinforced edges and corners.
Road cases
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Road cases are often used for shipping musical instruments and theater props.
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A steel cage or rack commonly used in auto industry
Student apartments built out of shipping containers in Le Havre, France
Transport truck of the Swiss Army with field hospital in container.
Many types of shipping containers are reusable. Steel drums are frequently reconditioned and reused. Gas cylinders, transit cases and sometimes even corrugated boxes are reused.
Reuse of intermodal steel shipping containers
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The widespread availability and relative cheapness of used intermodal shipping containers meant that architects began to consider them as an alternative to traditional building materials.[10] Used shipping containers have been converted for use in housing, and as retail and office spaces.[11][12] Examples of its use include the Cité A Docks student housing project in Le Havre, France;[13] the Wenckehof container village in Amsterdam;[14] the portable Puma City store in US cities;[15][16] the food and retail Boxpark in London;[17] the Dordoy Bazaar in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan;[18] the temporary mall Re:START in Christchurch, New Zealand built after the Christchurch earthquake,[19] and as intensive-care units in temporary hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] The Smoky Park Supper Club in Asheville, North Carolina, opened in , was constructed from 19 containers and is considered " "America's largest recycled shipping container restaurant."[21]
It has however been pointed out there are problems with recycling shipping containers, that it may not be as ecologically friendly or cheap an option as it might appear. The containers may be coated with harmful chemicals such as chromate, phosphorus, and lead-based paints, while its wooden floors may be treated with toxic insecticides, and some cost and effort are involved in modifying containers to make them habitable.[10] Others have noted various issues such as space constraint, insulation, and structural weakness if too much steel is cut out of the containers.[22][23]
Shipping containers are used in the film and television industry for building temporary sets. Shipping containers can be stacked on top of each other and used as reinforced scaffold that large-scale film sets can be built against. An example can be seen at Leavesden Studios, England; an area of the studio backlot is allocated to spare containers when not in use.[citation needed]
Reefer container housing units
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53 foot reefer container home
Reefer containers or refrigerated containers are containers built to haul refrigerated or frozen products. These containers can be repurposed for container housing or prefabricated for housing purposes. The advantage is the insulation in the walls, ceiling, and floor compared to corrugated metal in standard shipping containers that can get very hot or cold from the weather outside. Prefabricated reefer containers with the wiring ran through the walls and the plumbing ran through the ceiling and floor before the insulation, interior walls, and floors are installed would be more practical than trying to do that with a repurposed used reefer container.
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See also
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References
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- ASTM Shipping Container Standards and Related Technical Material, 5th edition, , ASTM
- McKinlay, A. H., "Transport Packaging", Institute of Packaging Professionals,
- Yam, K.L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, , ISBN 978-0-470--6
Shipping container homes are exactly what they sound like &#; custom-made homes built from steel shipping containers, the ones primarily used for carrying goods on ships, trains, and trucks. These days, people are doing more than transporting goods with shipping containers, choosing to make prefab container homes out of them. But is this a worthy investment? Let&#;s find out.
Are Shipping Container Homes A Good Investment?
With the rising cost of outright property purchases and mortgage payments amid wage stagnation, people are leaning towards affordable housing options for living or vacation. Affordable housing and small homes go hand in hand, and an increasingly popular option is shipping container homes.
According to an Allied Market Research report, the value of the container home market shares is expected to hit more than $73 million by .
While the cost of shipping container homes may vary depending on various factors like size, the total number of containers used, design, etc., they take up less room, allowing investors to make the most out of any parcel of land.
These custom container homes also have a high resale value of 100% and upwards, making them an attractive investment. Even without reselling them, investors can make a decent sum from renting shipping container homes as vacation houses.
One of the popular short-term rental outlets, AirBnB, pooled $5.99 billion in total revenue in (Statista, ) despite the harsh effects of the coronavirus pandemic. It shows that vacation rentals are good investments, given the present strength of the housing market.
Pros of Shipping Container Homes
Let&#;s talk about some of the verifiable reasons why investing in shipping container housing makes sense:
1. Durability
When making investment decisions, investors tend to look at properties that can withstand harsh weather conditions. While shipping container homes are understandably not the first thing on people&#;s minds when they think of sturdy homes, they are durable.
Considering that their original design was to protect goods from adverse weather conditions while traveling long distances over varied terrain, temperatures, and weather, it only makes sense that they can offer human inhabitants the same protection.
2. Flexibility
Prefab container homes offer investors flexible options to recoup their investments, unlike traditional homes that an investor can only sell or rent for residential purposes. But with a custom container home, an investor has more alternatives asides from rentals, such as converting the container home to a co-working space, fixing and flipping the property, and buying and holding to accrue profits.
3. Easy to Modify
Shipping container homes are more easily modifiable than standard homes. With a regular home, there&#;s a limit to what an investor can do to modify the property (although we've seen some pretty cool stuff) to catch up with modern trends, attract buyers, and maintain affordability in the market.
But with shipping container homes, there is often more room for customization, allowing entrepreneurs to add more floors, stairs, windows, and rooms. These, as well as the modern aesthetic, are what make shipping container homes popular in the current market.
4. Low Risks
With the world possibly nearing another recession amidst rising inflation and rates, there is a ready market for shipping container homes. People are opting to downsize and live in smaller homes to save costs, so there&#;s bound to be a demand for this type of property.
Prefab container homes are low-risk investments because they can be considerably cheaper to build and maintain, and may hold their value more so than a traditionally built home.
5. Quick Turnover
An efficient contractor can build a shipping container home in a few months, which is nearly impossible with a standard residential property. Because it can be expensive to hire professionals to build these container homes from the ground up, the quickest turnaround might mean buying prefab and modifying.
Prefab container homes are manufactured in factories and delivered to build sites, reducing construction times. All necessary building inspections are carried out at the factories before delivery to construction sites, ensuring that only quality units get out.
6. Mobility
Another edge that shipping container homes have over traditional buildings is the option of moving the property at any time. Shipping container homes are not necessarily anchored on permanent locations, and the property owners can hire shipping transportation services to move them to another location for whatever reason.
7. Fixed Costs
The great thing about shipping container homes is that the manufacturing costs of new containers from factories are fixed. So, it&#;s easier to make estimates and plan how many investments to make, unlike building regular residential properties with the fluctuating costs of building materials and other fixtures.
In the case of shipping container homes, the only variable expenses are the costs of transporting the container(s) to the building site, preparing the site, setting up the foundation, assembling the container, electricals, and other utility connections.
Cons of Shipping Container Homes
Here are some drawbacks that may make shipping container homes a poor investment choice:
1. Structural Concerns
While a custom container home may be strong at the corners, its flat roof may not be as strong, requiring an investor to build an additional roof to protect it from harsh elements like snow.
Then, the fact that modifications require reinforcements is another problem with shipping container homes. For example, anywhere a window or door is cut out of the container needs new/additional reinforcement, and subsequent renovations may require engineering interventions.
2. Building Permits
Since shipping container homes are modern innovations, getting the necessary permits to build them may be difficult. Many regions do not have regulations covering shipping container homes, and this may be tricky to navigate. So, it is best to visit the local city planning office and ask for information on permits, building codes, and zoning restrictions before diving in.
3. Electricity
Shipping container homes are heavily reliant on modern technology. Unless an investor wants the property off the grid, it requires a lot of electrical inputs to function effectively. Without electricity and modern fittings, this type of property is almost impossible and too expensive to live in.
4. Harmful Chemicals
Given that old shipping containers may have been used to transport harsh chemicals or other harmful substances, they may not be entirely safe for humans to live in. These containers may also have been treated with substances that can help prevent corrosion while in transit, which may linger with the container, even when not in use.
This may have unintended consequences for subsequent inhabitants. So, it is necessary to carry out structural integrity tests and other relevant inspections to certify that a refurbished container is fit to live in.
5. Difficulty in Finding the Right Location
While shipping container homes are now very popular housing options, it&#;s quite difficult to find already-used homes to buy and flip. In most cases, real estate investors have to build custom container homes from scratch, starting with buying land. Local building restrictions may affect the chances of finding a decent location for shipping container homes, as not all areas allow them.
6. Shorter Lifespan
Shipping container homes are durable but may lack the longevity that traditional houses have. A custom container home can last 25&#;30 years with proper maintenance, but a standard home generally lasts much longer than that, especially considering homes are passed down generations and still stand the test of time.
Many people own houses that are more than 100 years old because, unlike shipping container homes, residential houses are built to last for a lifetime. So, before investing in a custom container home, it is important to consider the lifespan, as while it is a cheaper investment, it may require an investor to keep building or flipping container homes to remain in business.
7. Associated Costs
While shipping container homes are relatively cheaper than traditional ones, there are still associated costs to consider before investing. These include land, cleaning, electricals, plumbing, insulation, and more. So, determining the cost of a custom container home is not exactly straightforward but rather nuanced.
How to Get A Hard Money Loan for A Shipping Container Home
Getting a hard money loan is one of the ways to finance the construction of a shipping container home. Hard money loans are asset-based financing options, requiring the borrower to secure the loan using real property.
So, if you&#;re wondering how to get a hard money loan for a shipping container home, consider reaching out to us to apply for capital for your new construction or residential rehabilitation project.
Conclusion
Shipping container homes are quickly becoming a smart investment option for real estate investors worldwide. Like other investments, building or flipping a custom container home requires finances that investors may not have readily available to commit. This is where hard money loans from reliable lenders like Fund That Flip come in to provide capital for these construction projects.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Xindian Construction. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.