Used Steel.
Built to Last.
Every container we stock is Wind & Water Tight: used steel that keeps out rain, wind, snow, and pests, with no holes and doors that seal, for less than a new one-trip unit. Here's exactly what that means in practice.
What "Wind & Water Tight" Means
Shipping containers are graded by their remaining useful life. Every container we stock is Wind & Water Tight (used), the grade that does everything most buyers need at the best value.
Keeps out rain, wind, snow, and pests, with no holes and doors that seal, at a fraction of the cost of new.
Wind & Water Tight (WWT)
A used container, retired from years of cargo service, that still keeps out rain, wind, snow, and pests, with no holes and doors that seal. Expect visible wear from that working life (surface rust, scratches, dents, and marked or previously patched areas, with floors that may show staining or wear) over weathering (Cor-Ten) steel built to last decades. It's honest, working-grade steel: not cosmetically perfect, but sealed and ready for storage.
What to Know
Our containers are sold as-is for storage and on-site use: weather-tight and built to last, but not certified for ocean shipping. For storage, workshop, and conversion projects, that certification simply isn't needed.
One-Trip ("New") vs Wind & Water Tight
When people shop for new shipping containers, what the market actually sells is a one-trip unit: a container built overseas, loaded once for its single ocean crossing, and sold on arrival. It is the closest thing to new steel you can buy. Expect original paint, an intact floor, minimal wear, and a premium price to match. For image-sensitive placements, a branded lot or a customer-facing site, one-trip can be worth it.
We stock used Wind & Water Tight containers: working steel retired from cargo service that still keeps out rain, wind, snow and pests, with no holes and doors that seal. For storage, that seal is the entire job, and a WWT unit does it at a fraction of the cost of one-trip. The wear you accept is cosmetic (surface rust, scratches, dents), and on our WWT units the Lifetime Leak Warranty stands behind the seal: if it ever leaks, we send you a fiberglass patch kit you apply yourself, which is more than most sellers put in writing at all. If pristine steel matters to your project, new (one-trip) and Cargo Worthy containers are available by special request; ask us and we'll confirm what we can get for your ZIP. If keeping things dry, secure, and owned is the goal, WWT is the value pick.
Why used shipping containers hold up
Built from weathering steel
Shipping containers are made from Cor-Ten (weathering) steel, which forms a stable, non-porous patina as it ages. That's why the surface rust you see on a used box is usually cosmetic, not structural: the steel is protecting itself.
Decades of service life
A container spends years in active maritime service, then can serve for decades in static land use with basic maintenance. A Wind & Water Tight unit is retired from the sea, not worn out.
Why used units are abundant
North America imports far more containerized freight than it exports, and repositioning empty boxes back overseas costs more than building new ones. So shipping lines sell them off here, which is why a good used container is widely available and a smart-value buy.
Want the technical detail? See how to read a container’s markings and full ISO dimensions in our Container Reference.
Condition questions, answered
New vs used: which should I buy?
It depends on what the container has to do. A "new" container is usually sold as a one-trip unit: built overseas, loaded once for a single ocean crossing, then sold. It arrives with its original paint, an intact floor and little wear, at a premium price. A used Wind & Water Tight container has been retired from cargo service. It shows cosmetic wear such as surface rust, scratches and dents, but it still keeps out rain, wind, snow and pests, with no holes and doors that seal, for less than a new one-trip unit. If the box has to look sharp on a branded lot or a customer-facing site, new can be worth the premium. If the job is keeping things dry and secure, used does that job for less. We stock used Wind & Water Tight containers. New (one-trip) and Cargo Worthy containers are available by special request; ask us and we'll confirm what we can get for your ZIP.
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Wind & Water Tight (used) steel. See what's available in your area.