Shipping Containers
There are many sources on the net to about shipping containers. This website will be the single most useful place on the internet to find information about shipping containers and the shipping industry as a whole. We will be the independent responsible voice for anyone who uses services supplied by the shipping industry - worldwide. 
 

Ideal-X - the world's first container ship It was 50 years ago that the shipping container, as we know it today, was invented.   Shipping containers are now an everyday sight, transported by road, rail, sea and air, to destinations all over the world. Every product in the world is transported  by shipping container. The shipping container has almost single handedly created the conditions needed to build a truly global exchange of goods - the global economy.   It now costs less to ship a container between China and Felixstowe than it does to send it on the road to Scotland. More time at sea The logistics revolution began in the US on 26 April 1956, when a crane lifted 58 aluminium containers on to a converted war-surplus oil tanker at a dock in Newark, New Jersey.   Transport boss Malcom McLean had watched teams of dock workers unloading goods from trucks and transferring them to ships and came up with a more efficient way of doing things. He refitted two oil tankers and designed truck containers that could be stacked on or below their decks Malcom McLean invented container shipping Small shipping containers had been around for many years, but they had just been seen as another item of cargo. McLean's innovation was to see a whole transport systems built around containerised cargo, which could be moved seamlessly between trains, trucks and ships. "Before the container came along a typical ship might spend a week tied up at dock," says Marc Levinson, the author of a new book, The Box, which explores the history of the shipping container and its impact on the global economy. "A typical cargo ship in the 1950s might have 200,000 individual items to be loaded. "It was a hugely labour intensive business and hugely costly. What the container did was get rid of all that." New ports As port operators saw the advantages of containerisation - reduced handling costs, quicker throughput of vessels and lower levels of pilfering of cargos - they started adapting their facilities. The cost comparisons were startling. Loading loose cargo onto an average ship in 1956 cost $5.86 per US ton. Container ports could load vessels for just under 16 cents. Many dock workers went on strike at the threat to their jobs, which, together with their slowness in upgrading their facilities, only helped to push business away from traditional major port cities like New York and London to newer sites like New Jersey and Felixstowe on the UK's east coast. "Felixstowe was just a little town that hadn't had much of a port at all before but it had lots of room for containers," says Mr Levinson. "But it had a container crane, which meant that a lot of port activity that had previously been in London and Liverpool moved to Felixstowe." Key enabler The arrival of containerisation did more than just change where and how ships docked. It helped globalise the world economy. Manufacturers no longer had to crowd near to ports or customers in order to reduce their transport costs. They could source cheaper components or even outsource production overseas as lower transport costs helped extend supply chains.   CONTAINER SHIPPING Number of containers worldwide - 22 million Number of container ships worldwide - 7,936 2005 container traffic - 116 million TEUs Value of container shipping in 2005 - $6.5 trillion TEU= 20-foot equivalent unit, the standard measurement for containersSources: Drewry, CI Online Similarly, developing nations were able to become suppliers to wealthier countries on the other side of the world. "Containerisation is why a person in Northern Europe who wants to eat strawberries on Christmas day can find them in their supermarket," says John Fossey, a director at industry publication Containerisation International. "It has been a key enabler of the rapid industrialisation and globalisation we are seeing in the world today." Indeed, container shipping lines now run so efficiently that it doesn't really matter where you are sourcing products from. If you look at the transport cost per individual item, it costs about $10 to send a TV set from China to the UK, or 10 cents to deliver a bottle of wine from Australia to America. "It costs less to ship a container between China and Felixstowe than it does to then send it on the road to Scotland," says Philip Damas, research director at shipping consultancy Drewry. The rapid growth in world trade has now made ports sexy. Recent months have seen a bidding war for UK-based P&O, the world's third biggest ports operator. A container ship can now be loaded in a matter of hours Another operator, Associated British Ports, is being courted by a consortium led by investment bank Goldman Sachs. Much of the excitement in the sector is being stirred up by the huge rise in trade into and out of India and China, which will push up overall world trade levels by an estimated 7% this year. Worldwide container traffic grew by 14% in 2004 and about 11% last year, and the infrastructure is beginning to creak under the strain. "If the market continues to grow at this rate it will lead to congestion in marine terminals, shipping lanes and road and rail networks," says Mr Fossey. It is just a shame that Mr McLean isn't around anymore to come up with another brilliant solution.

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List of Shipping Container Links

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List of Shipping Container links

Shipping Containers 
Shipping Containers Organisation Website 

Source: The UK-Directory Search.
 
Welcome to shipping containers information on The Shipping UK-Directory found at our main shipping portal shipping.uk-directory.co.uk

The most common reason why people use our website is to find which supplier that we may recommend for buying or hiring shipping containers; currently we recommend - 1st Containers UK - they are the UK supplier impressing us the most - try them for yourself http://www.1stcontainers.com

If you purchase or rent a shipping container from any of our recommended suppliers please let us know if they are maintaining their usual high standards and value for money, email; info@shipping.uk-directory.co.uk 

There are many other companies specialising in supplying new and used ISO marine shipping containers - more commonly known as shipping containers. Shipping containers are available for sale - to buy or for you to hire in the UK - either for short term renting or long term rental and you can also arrange for shipping container conversions to be carried out. ISO marine shipping containers can be converted into offices, construction site offices, equipment stores, general stores, kitchens, washrooms, changing rooms, recording studios, accomodation units - in fact, the possibilities are endless and are only limited by your imagination.

The majority of those interested in shipping containers are generally either looking for secure storage, and for that purpose shipping containers are ideal.You may be planning to transport cargo, personal effects perhaps or a car etc. If you are looking to buy or rent steel shipping containers shipping.uk-directory.co.uk has been specifically set-up to help you.

A great deal of research has been carried out on your behalf - which should save you time and money. Please add us to your favourites and check back with us for further developments. We aim to provide you with all the information you will ever need about shipping containers in the UK now and long into the future. 

You will benefit from our extensive research and will give you access to all the information you need about steel shipping containers. We intend to include everything we can on this website. If you cannot find what you are looking for we are happy to correspond with you by email in order to offer further help to you - however we are unable to answer telephone calls at this time. Please email your shipping container enquiries to; info@shipping.uk-directory.co.uk

A brief history of shipping containers: The basic purpose of a container is to speed up the loading and unloading of cargo. They were first used in the 1950s. The freight forwarding industry are the single main users of ISO containers; generally there are two sizes - 20ft or 40ft ISO CSC plated marine shipping containers that are used for shipping cargo.
 

What are the common names used to describe ISO marine shipping containers?

Here is a list;

20ft Containers
40ft Containers
Boxes
Cargo Containers
Shipping Containers
Steel Shipping Containers
Storage Containers
 
You should fully consider your need for buying or renting steel shipping containers before you make your final decision about who to buy or rent shipping containers from and how many and for how much money you should spend on your new or used shipping containers.

What types of ISO marine shipping containers are available?

Here is a list;

Open-tops - as you would expect these open on the top
 
Half heights - non-standard size containers
 
Reefers - these are refrigerated containers, temperature controlled
 
Insulated containers - these are containers that have a reduced tendency to condensation

Cheapest is not always best, even if you believe a broken down old container costing £100 less may be worth the risk - always ensure that the container will provide you with what you need for the length of time you need it. Sale and rental of new and used steel shipping containers can be offered as short term container rentals and long term container rental. Hiring a steel shipping container static storage and secure on site storage is very common and often the perfect use for a container. 40ft containers and 20ft marine storage containers are the most common sizes. You need not pay too much for a good container and they can often be cheap or cheaper than you might imagine.

Conversion of shipping containers for new uses are very environmentally friendly, they are cost effective for office containers, work-shops, secure storage, construction site offices, laboratories, kitchens, canteens, shower blocks, toilet blocks - the list is endless. Sales of new and used 40 foot and 20 foot steel ISO shipping containers. New and used shipping containers are are generally wind and water tight. Damaged containers can be repaired and once again be in a shippable state - or cargo-worthy. Depending on your requirements you should specify to your supplier precisely how you intend to use your container - your supplier should then be able to supply you with a suitable shipping container - for shipping or for storage. The most reliable shipping containers are new containers - but they naturally cost the most money. Insulated or uninsulated? The cost goes up for insulated containers.

The delivery of containers to the loading point and on to the port of departure is an important consideration. The logistics involved can often be complex and potentially expensive. A good shiping container supplier will arrange the freight forwarding of goods to their destination. Using special equipment to transport and off-load the container - for example Hiab (or Hi-Ab) vehicles or heavy lift side loading vehicles and full size cranes or other special rquipment may be needed - the costs for these arrangements can vary widely according to your particular circumstances

Your shipping ISO container sales or ISO container hire requirements should be fully discussed with your supplier and freight forwarder.

New and used steel shipping containers for sale at an affordable price steel shipping container rentals, so you can rent the steel shipping container for as long as you require. In other words, buying your container may not be the most cost effective method to get one - consider hiring your container short-term or long-term.

New or used steel shipping containers should be of a suitable quality or standard and should be guaranteed to do the job they were designed for. Steel shipping containers can be leased, purchased or on a 'hire to buy' arrangement whether the steel storage containers are new or used.

If you cannot find the steel shipping container that you require from our recommended suppliers on this site, please complete fill the enquiry form and we will arrange for suitable hand-picked suppliers to email you with their quotes the form will request your specifications to enable us to contact the right suppliers for you.

So if you are looking for steel shipping containers, either to buy or to rent, then this website has all you need to remember - shipping.uk-directory.co.uk. We can offer any advice you need.
 
Any company or organisation we may recommend does not provide a warranty or guarantee from shipping-containers.org we are simply suggesting that you consider that company as a suitable supplier. Any business that you transact with that company has nothing whatsover to do with shipping-containers.org.General information about shipping-containers.org: This website contains useful and detailed information for anyone searching for Shipping containers, ISO marine Shipping Containers, any queries regarding shipping containers or issues around any shipping container, containers for storage or shipping - what is involved in shipping containers which are also known as boxes - these can be converted into workshops, open tops, half heights, tank containers, issues surrounding haulage, budget containers, also information for leasing or transporting by lorry for removal or removals. We cover issues around offloading, painted or painting containers - offloading is a complex procedure - we help simplify the understanding of what is involved. All prices of shipping containers are constantly monitored to ensure any advice we give is up-to-date. Containers need to be packed and we cover packaging issues here on shipping.uk-directory.co.uk. The process of changing a shipping container into portable site-offices, stables (or a single stable), international information about overseas containers for those moving (relocation), warehousing, all the logistics involved, how packaging has a role, the business and services surrounding shipping containers, whether for domestic, export solutions, general solution to shipping container problems particularly in the UK. We aim to offer an efficient service to everyone in the shipping containers business - for both buyers and sellers. We want to become the place you trust and will recommend us to others. All products or product that requires transporting - industrial waste where you need a quote or quotation or an estimate - you may have an estimated weight you wish to specify for moving furniture say from example - from london, essex, kent, surrey, hertfordshire, north of england, south of england, devon, cornwall, wales, scotland or ireland - we can help.In fact we can help with all worldwide ships, shipping - including ports - for example shipping a Car - who the main shippers are. All issues about bulk buying or commercial shipping container sales. Many people are also interested in information regarding custom or bespoke shipping containers - in other words a customised shipping container. What about insurance - how do you insure a container - what does roll on and roll off mean? How many doors are there on a container? Is there a single door and are the doors lockable for use as a cabin - locks are generally fitted but when a unit hire company supplies the shipping containers do they supply the ISO maritime shipping containers with security to protect the content - nobody wants the contents to be stolen. In all these subjects shipping.uk-directory.co.uk is here to assist. Any cargo container or cargo containers are valuable - even secondhand containers - in fact the majority of all containers are second hand. Second-hand is not necessarily cheapest though. Our resource is informative for anyone seeking information about shipping containers - especially in the UK. The types of containers are quite varied - we explain the difference between flat rack - flat racks - dry containers, insured containers, how to house a container properly, how cars can be shipped, are the containers watertight, waterproof or generally weatherproof. Our website is not just for the uk - the world, our approach is global. All containers should be securely locked high cube or any other types. What about baggage - all the details you need are here. All shipping containers should be wateright, waterproof and weatherproof. Text on this website is protected by copyright law - unauthorised reproduction strictly prohibited in part or in whole. shipping.uk-directory.co.uk

The Shipping UK-Directory plans to have thousands of links to Shipping related information. We also plan to have hundreds of links to all the available UK shipping information. You'll be able to use The Shipping UK-Directory to find as many shipping resources as you want or need - please support this project.

If you can't find what you're looking for on this page or by using the search box at the top of this screen you can try searching Google below for shipping container info:

The Shipping UK-Directory will constantly be updated, so visit regularly. We will provide as much information as we can to help you to find the shipping information you need - keep visiting The Shipping UK-Directory.

Looking to buy or hire shipping containers? Check the latest links below;

1st Containers http://1stcontainers.com 
"This supplier offers a strictly no-nonsense service - our reviewers were suitably impressed" - shipping.uk-directory.co.uk 2006
 
SHIPPING CONTAINER INFORMATION

Logistics Management is crucially important to success
Cargo shipping

In the shipping container industry, there are a great number of terms you should be familiar with in order to understand containers and shipping information. These relate to container dimensions, container capacity, container rating, tare mass, payloads, container tare mass, container payload, general purpose containers, dry cargo containers. reefers, refrigerated containers, tare weight, tares, container markings, container classifications, half height containers, TEU, twenty-foot equivalent unit, knots, cellular container ships, CBM, cubic measurements. container services, standard containers, hicube, high cube containers, cargo cubes, global shipping, import-export shipping, logistics, logistics management, logistics supports, shipping space, shipping order, S/O. shipping permits, shipping notes, dock receipts, master ships, mother ships, feeder vessels, transhipment, transshipment, transit shipment, dead freight, seaports, ports. freight forwarders, consolidators, freight consolidators, customs brokers, customs forwarders, brokers, customhouse brokers, customs house brokers, voyage, flight. groupage operators, shipping operators, shipping firms, shipping company, air shipping, ocean shipping, carriers, freight company, transport company, ETA, ETD, ETS. transportation, transports, ocean shipping company, freight containers, couriers, airlines, tariffs, custom tariffs, shipping dangerous goods, shipping schedules. air containers, ocean containers, shipping containers, container load, LCL, full container load, FCL, marine insurance, cargo insurance, import-export insurance. NVOCC, nonvessel operating common carriers, NVO, nonvessel owner carriers, nonvessel owning carriers, ocean freight consolidator, steamship.

Container Dimensions and Capacity

Containers intended for intercontinental use have external nominal dimensions of:

Length ----- 9.8125 feet (2.991m) as 10 feet;
19.875 feet (6.058m) as 20 feet;
29.9375 feet (9.125m) as 30 feet; and
40 feet (12.192m)

Width ----- 8 feet (2.438m)

Height ----- 8.5 feet (2.591m) and
9.5 feet (2.896m) 

All the above dimensions have permissible tolerances. 
The 20 feet (20') and 40 feet (40') containers are very popular in ocean freight. The 8.5 feet (8.5') high container---8 feet 6 inches (8' 6") high container---is often referred to as standard container.

The demand for the high cube container---hicube---is increasing. The popular high cube container has a normal height of 9.5 feet (9.5' or 9' 6").

There are half height containers (4.25' or 4' 3" high) designed for heavy loads such as steel rods and ingots, which absorb the weight limit in half the normal space.

The most widely used type of container is the general purpose (dry cargo) container having a nominal length and height of 20' x 8.5', 40' x 8.5', and 40' x 9.5'. Referring to the below, the dimensions are not fixed, in other words the external and internal dimensions may vary among containers of the same length and height.

The container capacity is the total cube a container can accommodate. The term cube or HQ often refers to the cubic measurement of cargo. The capacity (i.e., the internal volume) is determined by multiplying the internal dimensions, that is, the product of internal length, width and height. The capacity may vary among containers of the same length and height.


Rating, Tare Mass and Payload of Containers

Rating
Rating is the maximum gross mass (or weight), that is, the maximum permissible weight of a container plus its contents. The rating of a 20' dry cargo container is 24,000 kgs. (52,900 lbs.), and a 40', including the high cube container, is 30,480 kgs. (67,200 lbs.).

Tare Mass 
Tare Mass---tare weight or tare---is the mass (or weight) of empty container, including all fittings and appliances used in a particular type of container in its normal operating condition.

The tare mass of containers may vary due to the different construction techniques and materials used in the container. A 20' x 8.5' dry cargo container may weigh 1,800 kgs. to 2,400 kgs., a 40' x 8.5' may weigh 2,800 kgs. to 4,000 kgs, and a 40' x 9.5' may weigh 3,900 kgs. to 4,200 kgs. Some dry cargo containers may fall outside the indicated weight range. The reefer weighs more than a dry cargo container of the same size.

Payload 
Payload is the maximum permitted mass (or weight) of payload, including the dunnage and cargo securement arrangements that are not associated with the container in its normal operating condition. Therefore, Payload = Rating - Tare Mass.

If the tare mass of a 20' dry cargo container is 2,400 kgs. and a 40' is 3,900 kgs., the payload of 20' is 21,600 kgs. (i.e., 24,000 kgs. minus 2,400 kgs.) and 40' is 26,580 kgs. (i.e., 30,480 kgs. minus 3,900 kgs.). However, the exporter may be prohibited to have that much payload in areas where there are legal limitations to the overall load of a vehicle.

In exporting, it is common to encounter a payload of 17,500 kgs. or less in the 20' container, and 24,000 kgs. or less in the 40' container.

The Marking and Identification of Containers

The rating, tare mass and payload of a container is marked on its wall, usually on the end (rear) door in the case of an end-loading dry cargo container. 
Each container has an identification code or container number---a combination of the 4-letter characters that identify the owner (the operator of container) and the 7-numeric characters that identify the container. The container number can be found on the outer and inner side walls.

The container number is entered on the bill of lading to facilitate the identification and tracking of the container and the cargo.
 
Throughout the shipping container industry, there are a great number of  terms you should be familiar with in order to understand containers and shipping information. These relate to Container packings, export corrugated cartons, export wooden cases, export boxes, export bales, container dimensions, import-export packings, import packs. export packages, import packages, pallets, pallet orientation, palletized cargo, import-export drums, bags, wooden cases, wooden crates, shipping pallets, pallet stowing. packing orientation, package orientation, TEU, twenty-foot equivalent unit, CBM, cubic measurements, knots, cellular container ships, multimodal transport, combined transport bill of lading, through bill of lading. Forwarders, freight forwarders, consolidators, freight consolidators, customs forwarders, container classifications, box, LO/LO, lift on, lift off, ISO, ISO freight containers, International Organization for Standardization. platform, flat racks, general cargo containers, specific cargo containers, general purpose containers, dry cargo containers, closed ventilated containers, container ventilation, open top containers, thermal container, reefers, freight reefers. insulated container, refrigerated containers, heated containers, tank containers, dry bulk containers, unit load device, ULD, IATA, International Air Transport Association, air containers, ocean containers, shipping containers, container load, LCL, full container load, FCL. TEU, twenty-foot equivalent unit, knots, cellular container ships, multimodal transport, combined transport bill of lading, through bill of lading, CBM, cubic measurements. container services, standard containers, hicube, high cube containers, cargo cubes, global shipping, import-export shipping, logistics, logistics management, logistics supports, shipping space, shipping order, S/O. Shipping permits, shipping notes, dock receipts, master ships, mother ships, feeder vessels, transhipment, transshipment, transit shipment, dead freight, seaports, ports. freight forwarders, consolidators, freight consolidators, customs brokers, customs forwarders, brokers, customhouse brokers, customs house brokers, voyage, flight. groupage operators, shipping operators, shipping firms, shipping company, air shipping, ocean shipping, carriers, freight company, transport company, ETA, ETD, ETS. transportation, transports, ocean shipping company, freight containers, couriers, airlines, tariffs, custom tariffs, shipping dangerous goods, shipping schedules. air containers, ocean containers, shipping containers, container load, LCL, full container load, FCL, marine insurance, cargo insurance, import-export insurance. NVOCC, nonvessel operating common carriers, NVO, nonvessel owner carriers, nonvessel owning carriers, ocean freight consolidator, and steamship.