These days, people are finding a lot more uses for shipping containers than just using them to ship goods. Shipping containers are being recycled and being used for everything from homes to offices to retail and restaurant locations.
One of the reasons shipping containers are becoming more popular for reuse is because there are so many of them. There are currently more than 17 million shipping containers in circulation, with only about 6 million in use at any one time. Even though nearly 700 are lost at sea each year, it would take centuries to use up the surplus. That leaves a lot of shipping containers left over and not needed. Plus, steel shipping containers that are well maintained last for at least 20 years, which means there isn’t much turnover. To get use out of all these shipping containers, they need to be used for other things.
One of the most common uses for used shipping containers is storage. Companies might buy used shipping containers to use for onsite storage for their own materials, but there also are businesses that create businesses using storage containers to store goods for others. Because the containers are so large and are made out of steel, they make good, sturdy storage sheds. They also are portable and can be put on semi-trailers, which makes them ideal for roll-off storage businesses.
Another use of shipping containers that is growing is for dwelling units. People are using shipping containers to create architecturally unique homes, and steel cargo containers also are being used in some communities to provide temporary or long-term housing for low-income people. This trend is growing but slowly because of the need to change zoning laws and building codes to accommodate these new, innovative uses.
One other use for shipping containers is as commercial business locations. Retailers are using shipping containers to create container pop up shops while other businesses are using them as mobile offices. The advantage of a container pop up shop or other retail or office uses is that you have more flexibility on where you can locate the shop.
Shipping containers are very versatile and have a wide variety of uses be.yond just transporting goods.
