Container Condition and Grading Explained

The grades we use

Every container we sell falls into one of a few broad grades. The names vary a little across the trade, so here is what we mean when we use them.

• New (one-trip): built at the factory, loaded once with cargo to reach the UK, then sold. The closest thing to a new container you can buy - fresh paint, new door seals, a clean floor and a factory-fitted lock box.
• Wind and watertight: a used container that is structurally sound and keeps wind and rain out. Expect dents, surface rust and faded paint from its working life, but a dry interior with working doors and intact seals.
• Cargo worthy: a used container in good enough structural condition to be certified for shipping. A step up from wind and watertight, and the grade to ask for if the unit will be moved by sea again.
• Refurbished: a used container that has been repaired, treated and repainted at our depot. A smarter finish for sites where appearance matters.
• As-is: a basic shelter at the lowest price. These units are neither wind nor water tight, so they suit covered or non-sensitive storage where a few drips and draughts do not matter.

What condition actually looks like

Grade names only tell you so much. A wind and watertight container will still show its age: dents in the panels, patches of surface rust, repairs done over the years and paint that has faded in the sun. None of that stops it keeping your contents dry. What matters is the structure - the corner posts, the frame, the roof, the floor and the doors.

Surface rust on the panels is normal on a used unit and is usually cosmetic. Rust at the bottom of the doors, around the corner castings or along the roof seams deserves a closer look, because that is where water finds its way in.

Which grade suits which job

• Household or business storage: wind and watertight is the sensible buy. You are paying for a dry steel box, not a paint job.
• Somewhere visible: a refurbished or one-trip unit looks tidy outside a shop, school or home.
• Conversions: start from a one-trip or good cargo worthy unit - you do not want to insulate and line a container that already has problems.
• Export or shipping use: ask for cargo worthy and tell us it is going back to sea.
• A dry-ish store on a budget: as-is units are cheap, but go in with your eyes open - they are not wind or water tight.

Judge it in person if you can

Photos help, but the surest way to judge condition is to stand in front of the container. You are welcome to walk the yard at our Darlington depot, open the doors and compare grades side by side - and the unit you pick is the one you get. If a visit is not practical, we will send photographs of the actual container we are offering. You can also read how we inspect containers to see what we check before a unit leaves the yard.

Not sure which grade your job needs? Tell us what is going inside and where the container will sit, and we will point you at the right grade. Browse new containers and used containers to see the difference.