This is a question we hear a lot – what is the difference between a shipping container and a storage container?

The answer is ‘not a lot, actually’ – but it is not just down to semantics, there are some differences that do make a massive difference to what you can do with the container.

What makes a container a shipping container?

First of all, shipping containers have several different names, depending on where you are in the world. In the UK, we tend to use ‘shipping container’ to describe the containers that are used in international shipping. These containers have very specific criteria to be described as a ‘shipping container’ – such as:

  • They must conform to the International Maritime Organization’s ISO specifications, which include standardised sizes and stacking strength. In some countries, shipping containers are referred to as ‘ISO containers.’ The standard is to maintain safety, ensuring that loading, transporting and unloading of shipping containers around the world is consistently safe – no matter if you’re at a port in Germany or Thailand – the international standard is there to maintain the same level of safety regardless of where you are in the world.
  • Furthermore, to maintain ISO certification of the ISO container, it must be inspected by a certified inspector every 30 months to ensure the container still conforms to ISO standards. In some places, when an ISO container is certified the container may be referred to as ‘cargo worthy’. To check if a shipping container is ‘cargo worthy’ you will want to look for a CSC Plate.

All the shipping containers for sale on Containers4Sale on the Shipping container page have a CSC Plate and are therefore ‘cargo worthy’ and suitable for international shipping. We offer both 20ft shipping containers and 40ft shipping containers for sale.

A row of colorful shipping containers stacked on top of each other in an industrial area. The containers are in various colors including blue, green, and red, with some displaying company logos.

What makes a container a storage container?

Storage containers are shipping containers without the CSC Plate, and therefore are unsuitable for international shipping because they do not conform to the ISO standards for international shipping.

They can still be transported by lorry within the UK, but loading one onto a ship for international shipping would violate international regulations.

Typically, shipping containers are repurposed as storage containers once they can no longer be used for international shipping. This allows them to have a long and useful life as storage units. By being reused or repurposed, they become environmentally friendly and sustainable options for storage, eliminating the need to construct new storage facilities from scratch.

 

dark green container being lowered into position on a crane

Why get a storage container over a shipping container?

What do shipping containers and storage containers have in common then?

As stated, the main difference between shipping containers and storage containers is purely whether the container conforms to ISO standards for international shipping. Additionally, both types of containers can withstand extreme weather thanks to their construction from weather-resistant steel. Both shipping and storage containers are highly secure – they have been designed to be kept in depots all over the globe, so security is vitally important. They are designed to keep rodents and other pests out, when you consider how many rats there are at ports all over the world then you will understand why shipping containers are designed to keep those horrible little critters out!

The only tangible difference between a shipping container and a storage container is the CSC Plate proving the ISO certification – and if you don’t need to transport the container in international waters then that certification is not required.

Want to buy or hire a storage or shipping container?

If you’re interested in hiring or purchasing a storage container or a shipping container, please contact us with your requirements. Our team of friendly professionals is ready to help you find the perfect solution for your storage or shipping needs.

Or, if you have a container you would like to sell – we will buy it (assuming it is in a reasonable condition), just send us some photos of your container and we will offer you the best price we can. Find out more about selling your container here.

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