New & One-Trip 20ft Shipping Containers for Sale

These Chicago container-only prices are reference points. Request a current delivered quote for your ZIP, preferred finish and unloading method.

Compare quotes with the same scope: the container, transport and placement service, applicable taxes, requested accessories or modifications, and any survey needed for freight use. Count an included service once; a fee left unspecified is still unknown.

If the used unit meets your functional requirements without repair or repainting, compare the premium mainly with the appearance benefit. If quoted used preparation brings its total close to one-trip, the better starting finish and lower wear may make one-trip preferable.

Include repair labor, materials and any extra transport to a workshop. Use an agreed completion date if your project has a deadline. Leave an unpriced defect unresolved in the comparison; do not turn the condition label into a repair allowance or a remaining-life estimate.

In US container sales, new commonly means one-trip: a container that carried cargo once from its manufacturing country before resale. That journey, loading and depot handling can leave small dents, scratches or floor marks. One-trip does not promise an untouched or zero-mile unit.

Confirm what the seller means by new, how the unit will be selected and which blemishes are acceptable. If never loaded, a particular color or an especially clean finish is essential, make that requirement part of the written order. A condition name alone does not establish freight approval or suitability for an occupied conversion.

For cargo transport, ask for the actual unit’s approval plate, current examination or survey records and acceptance by your intended carrier. One-trip describes its travel history; it does not replace those checks.

• An exterior photo set should show both long sides, the closed doors, the opposite end and the roof. Close-ups make dents, chipped paint and any repairs easier to judge than a distant yard photo.
• A short door video should show both leaves opening, closing and latching, plus the hinges, locking bars, gaskets and any included lockbox or easy-opening hardware.
• Interior views should run from the doorway to the far end, including floor edges and corners. Floor gouges, damp patches, residues or persistent odors need a specific response rather than an assumption that the unit is new.
• For a selected unit, record its identification number with the photos. For a condition-defined allocation, record the promised color, acceptable blemishes and substitution terms in the order.

A representative standard 20ft dry container has about 149 sq ft of bare interior floor and 1,172 cu ft (33.2 m³) of empty volume. Those figures describe the shell before shelving, lining, an entry area or an aisle; they are not a promise that every cubic foot can be filled with accessible stock.

For a storage plan, count the footprint and height of your actual boxes, equipment and shelves. One-trip condition does not increase the standard interior, and a lined conversion has less clear space. The 20ft comparison page has the full dimension reference.

Scroll sideways to see the full layout.

For seasonal goods, denser labeled stacks may use more of the floor, but items at the rear can require unloading the front. Decide whether occasional bulk access or daily picking matters more before choosing shelf depth.

The shelf depth and entry space are planning choices, not required clearances or a supplied installation. Actual shelf frames, load ratings, door movement and the way you carry items determine the finished layout.

• Two 24in-deep shelving rows leave about 44.6in between their footprints, before uprights, stored items that overhang and wall lining.
• Keeping the first 4ft clear leaves about 15.4ft of shelf run on each side, or 30.7 linear ft combined at each shelf level before bay gaps.
• Use the entrance for sorting incoming boxes. Put frequently picked stock on reachable shelves nearer the doors, heavier boxes low down and slow-moving stock farther back.

Water-tightness and condensation are different issues. Moist air can condense on colder steel, including in a one-trip container. Load dry goods and dry packaging, separate wet equipment from paper or textiles, and avoid blocking the chosen air path.

The small vents on an ordinary dry container mainly equalize pressure; they do not provide controlled temperature or humidity. If your contents need a specified storage range, design that control into the project before purchase.

Provide the delivery ZIP, quantity and site photos showing the access route and intended position. Have the transporter confirm turning room, overhead clearance, ground suitability, unloading equipment and the direction the doors will face. The box footprint does not describe the room needed by the delivery truck.

Name the unloading method in the order. A tilt-bed delivery places the box by sliding it off the truck; a flatbed normally needs suitable lifting equipment arranged for the site. Allow space outside the cargo doors for their swing and your normal loading activity, as well as the truck’s working area.

For an occupied workspace, include floor materials, available cargo history, structure, ventilation, insulation and local requirements in the conversion design.

If doors worked before dispatch but bind after placement, have the supports, level and door alignment checked before loading. Uneven placement can put the container out of square. Keep the placement photos with the condition evidence so the issue can be traced.