Why Shipping Containers Are For Much more Than Just Storage8934619
Shipping containers are large steel boxes generally used for the storage and transportation of goods. Many people will be familiar with the large containers seen on cargo ships - nevertheless they can be converted for a variety of surprising utilizes.
Also recognized as intermodal freight containers, they are designed to be moved without unloading and reloading their contents. They can be transported on cargo ships, lorries and by rail. Their use in international trade has led to much more effective transport of customer products and goods because containers can be transferred from ship-to-ship without having to reload the ships' cargo bays. They are powerful and tough to protect their contents from harsh sea conditions during transport, and it is these characteristics that make them suitable for uses other than the transport of goods.
To shield goods, containers are weatherproof and resistant to rain and wind. They range in size from eight foot to 56 foot in length making them appropriate for storing a range of products. They can be stacked on top of each other and can be securely locked.
It is their durable nature and range in sizes that make them suitable for many other uses. Shipping containers can be used as offices, canteens, accommodation, store rooms, changing rooms, workshops, vehicle storage and much much more.
The process of customising a container is known as a conversion. Common additions consist of windows, doors, air conditioning, insulation, plumbing, electrics and shelving. Because containers come in different sizes and can be stacked, they can be joined together to produce custom size buildings with multi-levels joined by internal or external staircases. Side doors or curtains, roller shutters, ramps, generators and humidity controls can be added to give the container a different objective.
Large scale revolutionary uses include a student accommodation village in Amsterdam made out of shipping containers. Keetwonen is the biggest accommodation block in the globe to be made out of shipping containers. The preconception was that the rooms would be small, impersonal and either too cold or too hot. Nevertheless, these fears have proved to be unfounded and the accommodation is spacious, nicely insulated and fantastic worth for money.
An additional large shipping container conversion project is 'BoxPark', a shopping centre constructed from containers in London. The development costs are low so these savings can be passed on to the shop tenants. It can also be built far much more rapidly than a conventional shopping mall.
Not all conversion projects are so large though. Shipping containers can be great value as single permanent or temporary building solutions simply because they last so long. Shipping containers can be hired or bought from specialist suppliers.
