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We all want shipping containers. They’re versatile, durable, and they can be used for anything from housing and storage, to pools and restaurants. But no matter their intended use, one of the most common questions we all have relates to how much a shipping container should cost. We know, shopping for the right price on a shipping container can be as frustrating as the used car market. All you’re trying to do is understand what the market value of a container actually is and avoid the embarrassment of getting ripped off. And while we unfortunately can’t give you a straightforward answer on exact amounts, we can give you some insight into which factors contribute to the range of prices you’ll likely see. We’ll also throw in some best practices to help make sure you get the best price available to you on the container market (or at least don’t buy an overpriced container). Let’s get started. Factors That Influence Shipping Container Cost There are a lot of different factors that can influence how much it costs to purchase one or more shipping containers. Let’s break them down one by one. Factor #1) New (ish) or Used Conditions And Shipping Container Costs The biggest factor that will influence the price of a shipping container is whether it’s a one-trip container or has been used more heavily by previous owners or commercial shipping companies. Newer shipping containers, also known as one-trip containers will obviously cost more than a more heavily used container. And this will continue to be true depending on how used and in what condition a container is in when you buy it. For example, those that have been on many ocean voyages will likely be the most affordable initially. Ocean travel causes degradation to any shipping container due to the native salinity in the air and the cold, wet conditions that permeate any ocean vessel. The result is a little more rust and some bumps and bruises. And while used containers are usually cheaper, they likely won’t be able to offer the same shipping container lifespan. How you’ll be using the container and how long you anticipate needing it for will help you decide if you want the initial higher price of a one-trip container or if you’ll be happy with a more used “wind and water tight” container. For more on the varying conditions of shipping containers and what they mean, check out our guide to buying shipping containers. Whatever you choose, we recommend trying to avoid “as is” containers unless you are really on a tight budget or are incredibly handy at repairing and welding. These containers may be sold with any number of defects, such as rust, doors that don’t properly close, holes, and more.  Note: This is especially true for home construction – if you’re using your shipping containers to build a new structure, try to aim for quality over a cheap price. Factor #2) Where You Source From Will Impact the Cost of Shipping Containers Where you actually buy the container can also drive up the price significantly. Direct From Manufacturers Likely Not An Option For Container Buyers Most buyers won’t have access to this type of wholesale market. While it might be an affordable way to pick up brand new containers at wholesale prices, almost the entire inventory of shipping containers available to people and businesses have experienced one shipping related trip. Additionally, most containers are assembled in China and the price of having a shipping container delivered would be considerable at that distance. Container Dealers Offer the Sweet Spot Between Quality, Large Selections, and Cost Savings Often the most reliable sources for containers, these dealers have access to bulk numbers of containers and have curated an inventory list that includes different types, conditions, and sizes that you’ll need. Additionally, these container dealers make a living out of providing you a specific service. That means it’s in their best interest to find you deals, source containers nearest to you, and provide the highest overall customer service experience. If you find a shipping container dealer you enjoy working with, you’ll also benefit from the relationship you build with a great sales representative. Repeat customers and bulk ordering should get you the best deals and keep you in the loop with any upcoming sales or new accessories on the market. Individual Resellers and Inconsistent Pricing Individual resellers suffer from inconsistent pricing and costs. You might find someone trying to get a shipping container out of their yard at a super affordable cost. Or you’re just as likely to notice that they understand perfectly well what the cost of their container is and they’ll add a 25% to 35% markup on top of that to try and profit. In addition, monitoring quality and getting accurate information can be much more challenging in this type of space. It’s hard to comfortably and consistently recommend this type of shopping, but you’re welcome to examine this space. Factor #3) How Amenities and Extras Impact Container Costs Some shipping containers will come with extra amenities or features, which may make them more or less suitable to your storage or construction needs. These include things like utility integration ports or plugs, window cutouts, special doors, ramps, shelving, refrigeration and more. Avoid overbuying your next shipping container by examining what features or extras it comes with. If you are buying shipping containers to act as a basic shed or garage, you might not need windows, multiple doors, or even complete waterproofing. For more sensitive storage items you might need to consider insulation, humidity reduction, and perfectly sealed corners, roofing, and doors. Related Reading: Preventing Shipping Container Humidity Factor #4) Size and Cost Of course, the size of your shipping container will also play a role in its price. In general, ISO-certified shipping containers come in two sizes: 20’ and 40’. These are standardized sizes that can fit interchangeably with other containers of their archetypes, and so they are the most common

Tons of properties across America have ancillary storage sheds. For some of us, sheds are a space to get out of the house. For others, they’re an awesome vanity space to show off your tools, shop equipment, and sleek customizations that make for an enhanced working space. Or maybe, it’s simply the most practical way to store your lawn mowing equipment, rakes, shovels, and the kids’ bicycles.  And, due to the demand for sheds that are durable, made of materials that will last decades, are insulatable, and portable, we’ve seen a large influx of buyers turning to a better storage solution – the shipping container shed.    Benefits of Using A Shipping Container Shed Using a shipping container as a shed, whether a full container, multi-container shed, or part of one, can provide numerous benefits that you’ll immediately enjoy.   Benefit #1) Made of 14-Gauge Steel that Can Handle Inclement Weather Exposure  For starters, metal shipping containers are much more durable than wooden storage sheds. Metal shipping containers are typically made with 14-gauge steel, which is durable enough to last for decades, and even longer if you properly care for it.  The steel body and frame prevent water from soaking into the roof, wall materials, and columns. If you buy a high-quality container, this will also protect insulated walls and your stored items from being exposed to rain water or snow melt.   Benefit #2) Designed to Be Sealed and Lockable Remember, before a shipping container shed became a hot commodity item, these metal storage units were designed to securely handle storage on a freighter, out at sea. These lock boxes are designed to keep people and unwanted pests out of your space. This means you can lock them up in your backyard, on the farm, or on the construction site to keep out vandals and thieves. You’ll also prevent the entry of mice, rats, and other rodents. You can more safely and reliably store certain materials in shipping container sheds as a result.   Benefit #3) A Shipping Container Shed is Relocatable and Transportable These shipping container sheds can easily be transported from place to place depending on where you install them. Their lack of permanence makes them a great solution for companies that need to move sheds from job site to job site. If using a container shed on your own property, you can find a way to move it around your property relatively conveniently. And, should you need to move to your next shipping container dream home across the state, you can bring your shed with you.   Benefit #4) You can Accessorize A Shipping Container Shed Easily From ramps to shelving, to custom doors, the shipping container industry is made up of a brilliantly standardized system of sizes that make accessorizing easy. Companies and businesses all across the globe give you access to buy various kits, tools, and appliances for easy and effective installation.   Benefit #5) Easy to Add Shipping Containers For a Bigger Shed Since a standard 20’ shipping container is a standardized size across the glove, you can conveniently add and join shipping containers together to create larger sheds as you need to add more square footage. Stack or connect them horizontally as your property requires.   *Please note that this blog does not address the building codes that may be applicable in your location. Before deciding to build a structure with shipping containers, please consult an architect/engineer and ensure that local codes can be met under your plan. What Can You Use Shipping Container Sheds For? If you place a shipping container shed on your property, you can easily use it for: Storing gardening or other outdoor tools such as rakes, shovels, and pickaxes Storing vehicles and motorized equipment from cars and tractors to lawn mowers, motorcycles, and bikes. Using the shed as a “man cave” or “she shed” – these are fun getaway spots where you can customize the place to your liking without having to worry about the rest of your home’s décor or theme Doomsday stations – yes, we’ve even heard of people making these into doomsday prepper, secure hideaways Meanwhile, if you own a business or want to use a shipping container shed for company reasons, you can utilize it for: Storing your bulk products, retail inventory, or tools Storing construction vehicles like bobcats, gators, and forklifts It all depends on how you want to customize the shipping container shed and what steps you take to seal it against weather and rodents. Again, though, shipping container sheds are great choices instead of wooden sheds in part due to their durability and resistance against those kinds of issues.   Can Anyone Use a Shipping Container as a Shed? This leads us to the other big potential downside. Depending on where you live, you may not be able to install a shipping container on your property for any reason. You’ll have to look into the city or county building codes that are applicable to the property in question. Some states, like Texas and Washington, are a little more friendly on this point than others. They have relatively relaxed building codes relating to shipping containers, and so placing them on your property and building onto them or altering them is easier. *Do plenty of research before committing to a shipping container shed because of these factors. Examples of Shipping Container Sheds Here are just a few ways that folks have been creative when installing or utilizing shipping containers as storage sheds or for other vanity-shed purposes.   Relaxing Studio Pod Just check out this awesome build! The creator made this shed to carve out a space where he could think, relax, and use recycled materials to benefit the environment all at the same time. Source: Shipping Container Studio   Sea Container Garden Shed This garden enthusiast and small farmer made a convenient tools and materials shed for employees and volunteers. It’s neatly organized organized and spacious. Source: Gateway Containers  

When people say “shipping container” most folks know exactly what they’re talking about, steel, interchangeable, 20 or 40-foot cargo containers. But standard shipping containers also have a variety of lesser-known names, or names that are really only recognized by professionals in the industry. Let’s break down some of the most common but ill-understood names for shipping containers you might hear.  The Many Names of Shipping Containers Modern shipping containers as we know and use them today were first standardized into their modern appearance and dimensions in the 1950s. It was during this period that shipping containers got their first colloquial name as Conex Containers.   Recommended Reading: History of Shipping Containers   What Are Conex Boxes/Conex Containers? “Conex box” or “container” is easily the most common alternative name for standard shipping containers you’ll hear today. That’s because intermodal and standardized shipping containers were associated with a logistics model from the 1950s called Container Express. In a nutshell, this logistics model allowed more companies to take advantage of container standardization, shipping more goods across the world at cheaper prices than ever before by using the inherent advantages of the modern, shared shipping container unit. Container Express was eventually abbreviated to “ConEx” and then “Conex” as a catchall term for the standard, 20-foot or 40-foot steel shipping containers we still use today. Conex containers refer to any standardized shipping container that can be used intermodal-ly, meaning the container can transition from one type of transport to another without having to unload and reload its contents (i.e. it can go from a ship to a train to a truck).   Where Is This Name Used? Today, you’ll mostly find shipping containers called Conex boxes or something similar at professional shipping companies or storage facilities. That’s because those organizations are likely to know the actual history behind the containers and may still use those old-fashioned names. Similarly, you can find Conex containers referred to by container warehouses and purchasing centers.   ISO Containers The ISO acronym stands for “International Organization for Standardization”, which is the organization that handles shipping container dimension standardization, alongside the standardization of other aspects (such as material, accessories, and more). In fact, modern shipping containers must be ISO-certified to be legally used by most shipping container companies. A container that’s ISO-certified will work with most other standard shipping containers and can be passed around from company to company without much issue.   Where Is This Name Used? Like with Conex containers, shipping containers are usually only referred to as ISO containers by shipping companies, warehouses, and stores. However, ISO containers are much more used by laymen or regular folks looking to build their own shipping container homes or businesses compared to Conex boxes or containers.   Intermodal Containers Technically speaking, any intermodal container is a container that can transition between multiple methods of transportation without having to reload the contained cargo. All ISO-certified and Conex containers are intermodal by design, although you might occasionally find some other intermodal containers with different specifications or origins. The majority of intermodal containers, however, come in either 20 or 40-foot lengths so that they fit with other containers carried on cargo ships around the world.   Where Is This Name Used? As with the above two terms, intermodal containers are usually referred to by shipping companies, warehouses, and professionals in the industry. The descriptive quality of the name, however, means that intermodal containers can technically be used in a lot of different areas and contexts so long as they can be moved from transport to transport without issue.   Freight Containers Many shipping containers are called freight containers instead. This is just because they often carry freight: this word is often used as a catchall term for any large-scale or bulk goods or manufacturing materials.   Where Is This Name Used? In general, the term “freight container” is mostly used in relation to railroads and rail transportation due to the association of the word with trains. However, this is not a hard and fast rule, and even industry professionals may sometimes refer to standard shipping containers as freight boxes or containers.   Sea or Ocean Container As the name suggests, sea or ocean containers are shipping containers primarily used for ocean shipping or transit. They’re often referred to as such if their typical cargo rotation locks them to sea transport – for example, they may technically be intermodal containers but never see the inside of a truck or train freight car. Sea and ocean containers aren’t designed with sea-focused insulation or anti-corrosion layering by default since most of them start off as standard shipping containers. However, some companies may eventually modify their sea containers to make them even more suited for long-term ocean transit for years to come by adding additional coatings, special paint, or modifying them for water damage.    Where Is This Name Used? You’ll most likely have your shipping containers referred to as sea or ocean containers at harbors or around shipping companies that mostly deal with ocean transport.   Recommended Reading: Lifespan of a Shipping Container   Sea Can Sea can is another common reference to a standard but ocean-focused shipping container. Many so-called “sea cans” are bolstered with many of the modifications mentioned above, such as anticorrosive paint, insulation on the interior to prevent container rain, and so on.   Where Is This Name Used? As with sea containers, sea can is really only used as a term by shipping companies that mostly deal with ocean-bound cargo containers.   Dry Van/Container Van Dry van and container van are two terms that are a little rarer than all the others. These refer to shipping containers that are mostly used for dry cargo, and more often than not are containers that already have many years of service. As such, “dry” or “container vans” are often older shipping containers that have been repurposed for land-only transport (for instance, maybe their steel has worn down over time, making them unsuitable for long-term

Shipping containers come in two major sizes – 20’ and 40’ – and a wide variety of colors. But beyond these slight differences, steel shipping containers are largely manufactured with the same materials and components as one another. Let’s break down the key shipping container materials and terminology you need to know if you are purchasing, building, or modifying a shipping container for your own purposes.  Recommended Reading: Buyer’s Guide To Shipping Containers   Steel Shipping Container Components Since shipping containers need to be made to specific standards that ensure container longevity as well as user and product safety, most of them have the same number and types of components.  Let’s break those down now. Component #1) Vents Most shipping containers feature vents which allow air flow in and out of the container and help with temperature regulation and moisture control. Vents can be made with the same type of Corten steel as the containers or from other metals. Some aftermarket vents can also be durable plastic. Component #2) Corner Castings and Posts Corner castings are reinforced shipping container corners that often have openings for twist locks. These corner castings and posts are designed to be strong enough to be rigged to cranes, even if they have a full shipment of goods inside. Component #3) Beams/Joists/Cross Members Cross members, which may also be called beams and joists, support shipping container floors by “crossing” from side to side. These cross members can lift the greater shipping container structure off the ground, which is also why many shipping container structures don’t need foundations. Cross members create extra space between the ground and the flooring to stop moisture from actually affecting the floor of the shipping container proper. Component #4) Cargo Doors, Headers, and Sills Most shipping containers will have maneuverable cargo doors split down the middle to form two separate steel doors. These are usually quite sturdy and secure and may contain one or more different locking or securing mechanisms. All shipping containers will also make use of a number of headers and sills. Headers are frames at the top of the shipping container while threshold sills border the other sides of a shipping container’s opening. Component #5) Forklift Slots/Pockets Any shipping containers designed to be moved from place to place will contain two forklift pockets or slots along the bottom edge of their shapes. These are in place to allow forklifts to pick up shipping containers and move them around – forklift tines are simply inserted into the pockets when ready. Note that not all used containers will have forklift pockets. Component #6) Flooring The vast majority of shipping containers will come with durable flooring made of one or more materials. Floorings are usually infused with insecticides and other protective coatings to ensure that they last for a long time and don’t suffer from insect or rodent damage.  Component #7) Security Seals Many shipping containers may have their security bolstered by security seals. These are often color-coded and numbered and can be combined with standard locking mechanisms to seal a shipping container until it reaches its destination. Security seals are useful since it’s easy to tell if a shipping container has been opened ahead of time; if the seal is broken, you have a problem. Component #8) Twist Locks Any shipping containers designed to be connected to others will feature twist locks. These can securely latch shipping containers either to counterpart containers or to other anchor points depending on your needs. These locks work by fitting into corner castings, then pivoting to a locked position through the use of a lever or another manual control. Recommended Reading: How to Join Shipping Containers Together Component #9) CSC Plate A CSC (which stands for The International Convention for Safe Containers) plate indicates that a shipping container meets certain design and construction standards. Such plates essentially mark a shipping container as safe to use. These plates are usually affixed to the interior or exterior of a container. What Type of Steel Are Shipping Containers Made Of? Shipping containers and the majority of their components are made of metal. But not just any metal is used for their crucial parts, walls and doors. Instead, most shipping containers are constructed from high-quality Corten steel. Corten Steel Also called “weathering steel”, Corten steel is forged by combining several steel alloys and doesn’t need to be painted to resist corrosive damage. This makes Corten steel a particularly good material for shipping containers and their surfaces, which are often exposed to corrosive elements or materials like saltwater. Corten steel is also valuable because it’s extremely easy material to use for welding and shaping. While it’s still good to paint shipping containers if possible, the nature of Corten steel means that any rust that does form shouldn’t penetrate lower than the initial layer of paint. Shipping container walls, frames, corner castings, and other major metal components will almost universally be made from Corten steel. Other Shipping Container Materials Certain components in a shipping container may also be made with additional materials. For instance, shipping container floors are often made with either bamboo or marine-grade plywood. Bamboo Flooring Bamboo flooring is the less common of the two options. However, you can still find it in many older shipping containers since bamboo is extremely durable and is resistant to mildew. Furthermore, many shipping container structures and restaurants appreciate bamboo flooring for its aesthetics. It’s easy to tell whether a shipping container’s floor is made of bamboo or another type of wood since bamboo floors have woven patterns. Marine-Grade Plywood Most modern shipping containers use marine-grade plywood, which has recently become much cheaper and more available for manufacturers. Most marine-grade panels are infused with insecticides to stop insects from chewing through the material over the course of a long voyage. Such plywood is also water-resistant to a limited degree, although some floorings will include additional water-resistant coatings to boost this effect. Marine-grade plywood is durable, flexible, and easy to install in new

Today, we’re discussing the ins and outs of connecting or joining two shipping containers together. This 5 step “how-to” should give you enough information to understand what’s involved in the process.   *Please note that this blog does not address the building codes that may be applicable in your location. Before deciding to build a structure with shipping containers, please consult an architect/engineer and ensure that local codes can be met under your plan.     Why People Connect Shipping Containers: The Benefits   To Create Larger Interior Spaces or Clear-Spans The most significant benefit of joining two shipping containers together is for customizability and enhancement of space. This allows you to maximize interior square footage of your shipping container, which is especially attractive when building a shipping container home, office, retail business, or simply a larger storage unit. Although, at this size it’s more of a storage garage. The benefits associated with joining together containers for additional space are:  Create your desired customizable room dimensions and partitions Segmentation allows for the interior feeling of a traditional building structure Wider shipping container structures allow for customers and employees to feel less cramped   Take Advantage of Their “Modular” or “Volumetric Shape” Shipping containers can be thought of as very similar structures to modular or prefabricated, volumetric building components. Their volumetric shape allows them to easily be stacked and placed side-by-side at the construction site. The convenient stacked and connecting can create any width or height that the structure is permitted to handle.  Additionally, you can employ a company to complete all necessary construction off-site, and have them ship the completed containers to your campus. This cuts down on finishing and on-site construction time and allows for timelines and costs to be relatively fixed.   Finance a Large Building – One Shipping Container at a Time Due to the relative ease with which shipping containers can be joined together and stacked, you can budget out a housing or commercial building project according to your current financing and budget requirements. Start by connecting a few containers for your new building, and as savings or revenue continues to grow, freely add more shipping containers to your project.   How to Join 2 Shipping Containers Together There are several ways that people across different industries and requirements choose to connect shipping containers together. We’re often asked about welding them together, and the limits of stacking containers. Below, we’ll detail how shipping containers are often connected together, and then we’ll get to some of the FAQs later in this post.   Step 1) Layout Plans Developed and A Licensed Contractor For Spec Advise Before you get too caught up in creating a clear-span space with your shipping containers, have a detailed plan or design in place – this includes potential add-ons in the future. This type of planning makes sure that everyone involved in the process understands the requirements and specifications of the project. It also allows you to consult or employ contractors that can ensure the integrity of your shipping containers are maintained as you begin to modify them for assembly.   Step 2) Modifications to Shipping Container Walls Should Be Done Prior to The Joining Process If you’re working with several standard shipping containers, you’ll need to make modifications to walls first. This is particularly true if you’ll be removing any parts or the entire run of the interior walls to create doorways or a fully open space. Beams and bracing columns can be tastefully installed as necessary and in consideration with potential add-ons in the future. Additionally, to help create a uniform and strong seal between containers, you’ll need to be sure and neatly frame in any openings you’ve created in your shipping container walls   You also might want to consider the advantages of purchasing an open side container as their large doorways are already framed. Simply remove the doors for an open space.   Step 3) Site Preparation for the Containers Make sure that the foundation for both units is compacted and completely level. This will help keep your structure nice and uniform and, again, create the best seal.    Place the first unit on to the foundation. Make sure that the first unit is totally straight and in place before you start to position the second unit.   Guide the second unit into place and redo your measurements again. It’s absolutely crucial that everything lines up perfectly since it’ll be extremely difficult to change the position of the shipping containers after they have been connected together.   Check out our helpful guide for more information on shipping container site preparation.   Step 4) Joining the Shipping Containers Together One of the most common ways to connect shipping containers and make sure that the seam between the two is well-connected is via plates and caulking.   Tools Required:   Drill Threshold plates Screws Flashing Caulk   Now that your shipping containers are placed together, you can begin the connection process by placing threshold plates along the seam. Be sure to secure them in place with screws. Threshold plates can be placed on the interior along the floor.   For the seam on the walls and ceiling, threshold plates plus flashing (roof) can be placed on the exterior of the container.   Step 5) Create a Good Seal with Caulk, or Roofing Cement, or Welding  Finally, most people will utilize caulk to help seal the container from the weather and to increase efficiency. Additional roofing cement and roofing materials along with a ridge cap can help protect the roof of your new two-container building.   Can you weld two shipping containers together? Yes. If you’re experienced with welding, this is a more permanent way of joining two shipping containers togethers.   Can You Vertically Stack Containers? Yes you can, but make sure that your weight load is primarily distributed through the corner posts so that the foundation bears the brunt. For the construction of a multistory shipping container building we

Shipping containers are ubiquitous parts of the shipping industry. More recently, shipping containers are being used as storage, habitable buildings and even as building material for larger structures, like restaurants or hotels. But shipping containers were not always the omnipresent cargo boxes that dominate the dockyards as they do today. In fact, shipping was handled entirely without them for most of oceanic shipping’s history. Shipping containers and the resulting “containerization” of the shipping industry were both relatively recent innovations that transformed the global economy and allowed for unprecedented development, low shipping costs, and a complete reinvention of oceanic shipping. Let’s break down the history of shipping containers and examine the figures, developments, and decisions that led to the intermodal and worldwide containerized shipping system that all developed nations use to this day.     History of Shipping Containers – Background That Led to Their Creation Before shipping containers totally revolutionized ocean freight transportation, cargo was generally slowly and manually loaded. Cargo was called “break bulk cargo”, and goods were taken through a significant number of handling checkpoints as cargo was moved from a warehouse to a vessel, then from that vessel to another warehouse, and so on. While the railroads, which expanded during the 1800s, helped revolutionize above ground bulk freight transportation, this didn’t help much when it came to actually putting cargo on ships and transferring that cargo across the sea. Things were even more complicated because bulk cargo was poorly secured and was not as well organized as we’re used to. Dockworkers would frequently load cargo in a Tetris-style configuration, trying to fit irregularly shaped cargo together as best they could.   Introducing the Inventor of the Shipping Container Malcolm McLean was a small-load trucker in the year 1937, and he saw the issues with ocean cargo firsthand – as he dealt with many of the same types of cargo via his own trucking company. To better his own profits, McLean purchased the Pan Atlantic Tanker Company and all additional shipping assets. Once he had all these resources, he began experimenting with more efficient ways of loading and unloading cargo for his trucks. He may have been partly inspired by the 1950s efforts by the U.S. Army to use so-called “Transporter” containers. These were developed for use during the Korean War, as troops needed to move tons of supplies from place to place both along the coast and inland throughout Korea.  Furthermore, Western Europe was already setting various standard sizes for transport containers. Such containers were used for railroads and were eventually evolving for ship and truck transport. This, in turn, created the first international container shipping regulations.   When Was the Shipping Container Invented? McLean likely saw all of these developments and combined them with his own resources and knack for shipping sense. In 1956, he created and patented the Ideal X: the first shipping container we would now recognize as modern. He shipped 60 containers on the deck of a ship from Newark, New Jersey to Houston, Texas as an experiment. This intermodal cargo transportation method allowed the containers to be stacked on the deck of a ship, both allowing for faster loading and unloading and for more cargo to be piled on the ship safely and securely. This also eventually led to shipping containers being stored below deck for even greater transportation efficiency. McLean developed the system he would eventually call “fitting”, which allowed containers to be lifted and fixed onto vehicles or fixed to one another for greater security. The result? Loading costs across the shipping industry plummeted, so long as companies used his method and similar containers. For example, loading costs went from $5.86 per ton during the 1950s to today’s value at just $.16 per ton of cargo loaded.   History of Shipping Containers – 1968’s Revolution Was a Turning Point The shipping container revolution truly began in earnest starting in 1968, after intermodal shipping was tested and proven by both McLean’s own ships and other fleets adopting his methods. This caused shipping container fleets to rapidly expand and the intermodal method to become the de facto shipping and storage system used across the shipping industry. Other developments followed shortly after McLean’s original Ideal X, including: The development of the first quayside container gantry crane called the “Portainer”. This was a type of crane that could massively lower loading times and cost of loading and unloading shipping containers 1962 saw the opening of the first dedicated container terminal called Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal, in New Jersey In 1966, Sea-Land initiated the first trans-Atlantic service for modern shipping containers and the intermodal stacking system. McLean also convinced the U.S. Army that shipping containers could provide a reliable service for its foreign expeditions in Korea and, later, Vietnam. Thus began the boom of the Asia-Advanced Economies trade network, forcing larger carriers to adopt containerized shipping and removing the necessity for many conventional cargo ships and longer stays in port   ISO Standards Arise From the years of 1968 to 1970, the ISO standards for shipping container size, construction, and other aspects were set in stone so that both McLean’s company and any other company wishing to adopt the new intermodal shipping container system could exchange cargo relatively freely with one another and with various ports. These codes were ISO 338, 790, and 1897.   Shipping Container Expansionism Continues The 1970s and 80s saw the exponential growth of the shipping container industry – for instance, over 4 million containers were used by the US, Europe, and Asia in 1973 alone.   Efficiency Causes Less Demand for Dockworkers This did not always have positive impacts for everyone in the industry. For instance, docks now required far fewer dockworkers to successfully and quickly load and unload cargo from various ships. This resulted in many dock workers being laid off directly because of containerization and its greater efficiency.   Shipping Containers For More than Oceanic Freight However, other advances opened up new job opportunities and promoted even