It all started when a trucking entrepreneur, Malcolm McLean, invented the intermodal shipping container in 1956, revolutionizing the way goods were transported across the ocean as well as inland. This allowed for quicker, cheaper and more effective shipment of products to take place.
Currently there are over 15 million of shipping containers worldwide with more than a quarter being “retired” from ocean transportation services.
So what happens to these steel boxes after they retire? Most of them are repurposed into self storage for individuals needing extra space to store personal belongings, tools and other garden and home equipment. Industrial and retail companies use them to store various products. Others, in a creative way, turn these into tiny homes, cabins and even escape rooms.
Why should you consider purchasing a shipping container? Here are 10 reasons:
- Affordable – cheaper than building a shed if you’re looking for storage and more affordable than a traditional home if you’re looking to build a house out of them
- Portable – they are easy to transport – can be dropped on your property and if you don’t need it there anymore it can be picked up and moved to a different place
- Available – shipping containers will continue to be manufactured and used as a global transportation solution for a long long time which means that you will be able to find a shipping container close to you almost anywhere in the world
- Durable – these steel boxes are made out of a special type of steel to be able to resist harsh weather conditions – your belongings will be safe
- ISO standardized – you know what sizes are available and there are no surprises there, you can plan your project according to specific measurements
- Customizable – there are companies that can modify these for you or you can have your own DIY project and add a door, window or create a swimming pool out of one
- Valuable – if properly maintained and purchased at the right time, sometimes you can resell these for a profit; you can also rent these for storage for a passive income
- Easy fix – to your storage problem but also to repair the container itself. Are you moving and need a storage solution soon then shipping containers are the way to go. If you buy one that has holes or is leaking you can always patch it up yourself!
- Environmentally friendly – by purchasing a used shipping container you help recycle a steel box manufactured for transportation and repurpose it for personal storage
- Cool – you must admit that it is pretty cool to have a big steel box in your yard – something that has traveled the world a few times and transported different kinds of goods. There is something special about its industrial look also.