Empty shipping container supply in Dubai

What the container is actually for

The right unit depends almost entirely on what happens to it next, and it is worth being explicit about that at enquiry. A container being loaded for export has to be shipping-grade and, for most lines, cargo-worthy and certified. A container being used as static storage on a site or yard does not, and paying for certification it will never use is wasted money.

A unit intended for conversion — a site office, a store, a workshop — is judged on structure and shell condition rather than on shipping certification. Those three uses can point at three different units at three different prices, so telling us the purpose gets a better answer than asking for a price on a 40-foot container.

Availability, grade and condition vary with the market, so units are quoted against what can actually be supplied at the time rather than from a fixed list.

Sizes and types commonly supplied

Standard dry units cover most requirements. High-cube units add internal height, which matters for volumetric cargo and for almost every conversion. Specialised equipment is supplied subject to availability.

Units that can be arranged:

• 20-foot standard dry — general cargo, storage, the common conversion base
• 40-foot standard dry — larger volumes and longer cargo
• 40-foot high-cube — additional internal height for volumetric loads and conversions
• 45-foot high-cube — maximum volume where the route and handling permit
• Reefer units — temperature-controlled cargo or cold storage, subject to availability
• Open-top and flat-rack — cargo loaded by crane or exceeding door dimensions

Grades and inspection

Used containers are traded by grade, and the terms are not standardised across the market, so what matters is the condition of the specific unit rather than the label attached to it. A cargo-worthy unit has been surveyed as fit for shipping; a wind and watertight unit is sound against weather but not necessarily certified for carriage; units below that are sold on structure alone.

Before an export loading it is worth checking the unit for holes, floor condition, door seals and previous cargo residue. A container that fails inspection at the port after it has been stuffed is an expensive discovery, and the check takes minutes at the point of collection.

New or one-trip units are supplied where appearance or condition matters, subject to availability.

Delivery, siting and combined shipping

Delivery across the seven emirates is arranged by side-loader, tilt-bed or flat-bed according to the unit and the site. Access is the constraint that gets overlooked: the vehicle needs room to manoeuvre and to set the unit down, and the ground has to bear the point loads at the corner castings. Confirming access before the truck is dispatched avoids a wasted delivery.

Where the container is being bought for an export shipment, supply, loading, the sea booking, documentation and customs clearance can be handled together under one coordinator rather than as separate transactions.

Frequently asked questions