Buying a shipping container? Don't just ask for used: get value for your money!

When buying a shipping container you need to think about what you're getting for your money.  If a container is being shipped from or is sitting in a local yard you've got to ask how long has that container been sitting in the mud.

In the old days when scrap iron prices were good maybe a rusty old container was worth something.  Today a scrap metal merchant could ask for a fee for picking up an old seacan as the scrap value is low.

Think of a container like a car:  There's new and then there's an off lease car that was driven on lease for 2 years then there's 3 years old, 5 years old and 25 years old.  Many people ask me for the cheapest possible shipping container.  So yes you can have the rusty seacan that's been sitting in the mud for anywhere from 5 to 25 years and the price will be cheaper than a Grade A cargo worthy can but are you getting value?  Have you tried moving a rusty container?  Or selling scrap metal when the chassis separates from the top?

When you compare prices find out if you're getting a rust bucket or a cargo worthy container because you will notice the difference in 5 years time if not immediately.

Badly stored shipping containers with no airflow underneath.  In a couple of years the chassis on these will be rotten.