The Complete Shipping Container Buyers Guide

1. Before You Start

Buying a shipping container isn't like buying off a shelf. It's a multi-tonne steel asset that has to physically arrive at your site, fit where you want it, and legally be allowed to stay there.

Most buyer regret in this industry traces back to three questions that weren't answered before the order was placed:

• What am I actually using it for? This drives size, grade and whether you need modifications.
• Can a truck get to my site and safely unload? This is the single most common cause of failed deliveries.
• What's the total cost, not just the container price? Delivery, craneage, permits and site prep all add up.

This guide answers all three, and everything in between. If you'd rather just ask, message us on WhatsApp — we'd rather spend five minutes helping you choose than have you buy the wrong unit.

2. Container Sizes & Dimensions

Shipping container sizes are standardised internationally. The figures below are nominal industry standards — actual dimensions vary slightly between manufacturers, and internal measurements are always smaller than external ones because of the wall thickness.

Browse our full range: 10ft, 20ft, 30ft, 40ft and 45ft containers.

3. Standard vs High Cube

A high cube container is approximately one foot (about 30 cm) taller than a standard container of the same length. Length and width are identical.

That extra height matters when you're:

• Storing tall equipment, machinery or stacked pallets;
• Converting the container into a workshop, office or habitable space where headroom counts;
• Installing insulation and internal lining, which eats into ceiling height.

The trade-off: a high cube needs more overhead clearance on delivery, and is slightly heavier. If your site has power lines or low branches, mention it when you order.

4. Condition Grades Explained

Grade is the most misunderstood part of container buying — and the one that causes the most disputes. Here's exactly what each grade means.

What's normal on a used container

These are expected characteristics of a used unit, not defects:

• Surface rust, oxidation and paint fade
• Dents, scratches and minor panel deformation
• Patch repairs, weld marks and previous plating
• Residual shipping-line logos, decals and stencilling
• Floor staining, marking or minor gouging
• Odour consistent with previous cargo
• Colour variation between units

What is not normal: structural rust that compromises the container, holes that let water in on a unit sold as WWT, a racked or twisted frame, or damaged corner castings. Those are covered by your rights under the Australian Consumer Law — see our Refund Policy.

5. New vs Used — Which Should You Buy?

Honest advice: if the container will sit out of sight and simply needs to keep things dry, a Wind & Water Tight used unit is the smart buy. If it'll be visible from your house or the street, or you're converting it into something people will spend time in, spend the extra on a one-trip unit. Repainting a rusty container properly often costs more than the price gap.

6. Choosing by Use Case

7. Specialty Containers

• Refrigerated (reefers) — insulated units with an integrated refrigeration plant. Require a three-phase power supply. Also popular as insulated dry storage when the plant isn't run. View reefers.
• Flat pack containers — shipped flat and assembled on site. Useful where crane access is impossible, or where the unit must be moved and rebuilt later. View flat packs.
• Cabins — pre-fitted living or office spaces. View cabins.
• Container pools — containers converted into swimming pools, structurally reinforced and lined. View pools.
• Modified containers — custom doors, windows, ventilation, electrical and internal fit-outs. View modified units.
• Accessories — lock boxes, vents, shelving, ramps and door seals. View accessories.

8. Inspecting a Container Before You Buy

We encourage inspection at our Botany yard by appointment. If you can't attend, ask for a detailed photo set of the specific unit. Here's what to look at.

9. Understanding the Total Cost

The container price is rarely the whole cost. Budget for:

10. Preparing Your Site

This is where most deliveries go wrong. A loaded truck can exceed 25 tonnes, and the driver has final discretion on whether placement can be done safely and lawfully.

What to put underneath

Concrete, compacted gravel, road base, or railway sleepers under the corner castings all work well. The container carries its weight on those eight corners, not along its length.

Leave a small gap underneath for airflow. It reduces condensation and slows corrosion on the underside. Never place a container on soft or sloping ground — it can twist, and a racked frame means doors that never close properly again.

11. Delivery Methods

12. Do You Need Council Approval?

Possibly. Rules vary significantly between councils. Approval or a development application is more likely where the container is:

• Placed permanently or long-term;
• Converted into a habitable space, office or dwelling;
• Visible from a public road;
• Placed on a road, nature strip, footpath or public land — a permit and traffic management are typically required.

Obtaining any necessary approval is your responsibility. ECS does not apply for permits on your behalf, and is not liable for fines or removal orders arising from unapproved placement.

13. Modifications

We modify containers to specification: personnel and roller doors, windows, ventilation, insulation, electrical fit-outs, lighting, power points, shelving, partitions, site offices, cabins, pools and repainting.

Three things to know before you commit:

• Modified units can't be returned for change of mind. They're made to your order. Faulty workmanship is a different matter and is fully covered.
• Modification can void sea-cargo certification. Cutting doors or windows may cost the container its Cargo Worthy status and CSC plate. Tell us upfront if you plan to ship it later.
• Certification may be required. Electrical, plumbing and structural work often needs engineering sign-off or council approval, especially for habitable conversions. That's your responsibility unless we agree otherwise in writing.

14. Buying for Export

We export from Botany to Europe, the United States, Canada and across Asia. If your container is leaving Australia, a few things change.

• Grade matters. Only Cargo Worthy containers with a valid CSC plate can be shipped as sea cargo. WWT and As-Is units cannot.
• Incoterms define who pays for what. Every export quote specifies one:
  • EXW — we make it available at our yard; everything after is yours.
  • FOB — we handle transport to port, export clearance and vessel loading.
  • CFR — as FOB, plus sea freight to your destination port.
  • CIF — as CFR, plus marine insurance.
• GST-free doesn't mean tax-free. Exports may be GST-free under Australian law, but you'll owe import duties, taxes and port charges in your own country. See our Sales Tax & GST Policy.
• Sailing schedules aren't ours to control. Transit times, port congestion and vessel rollovers sit with the shipping line.

Get an landed-cost estimate from a customs broker in your destination country before you order. It's the only reliable way to know your true total cost.

15. Caring for Your Container

• Manage condensation. "Container rain" is condensation, not a leak — warm humid air meets cold steel and drips. Fit vents, use desiccant, insulate, and don't store damp goods inside.
• Keep it off the dirt. Airflow underneath slows corrosion. Sleepers or a gravel pad help.
• Treat surface rust early. Wire-brush, prime and paint. Left alone, surface rust eventually becomes structural rust.
• Grease the door hinges and locking bars. Seized doors are the most common long-term complaint, and the easiest to prevent.
• Check the roof after storms. Pooled water and debris accelerate corrosion at the weakest point.
• Secure it properly. A lock box protects the padlock from bolt cutters.

16. Mistakes to Avoid

17. Pre-Purchase Checklist

18. How to Order

Full terms are set out in our Terms & Conditions, Payment Policy and Shipping & Delivery Policy. Common questions are answered on our FAQ page.