We call it character…While many of A American’s containers are in near perfect condition, we also offer a wide variety of used units. Our used containers come in a range of appearances (called grades), but our dedicated team of cargo rental agents take care to remove as many of the travel scars, dings, dents, and scratches you can expect from steel containers.
Why Do Shipping Containers Have Dings & Dents?
They’ve been in shipping lines for years; some for as long as 10-15 years and have seen their fair share of traveling. Each company that we partner with also has different standards for their cargo fleets, therefore every unity will come to us with varying degrees of damage.
If you plan on renting a used container keep in mind it won’t be in “new” (“one-trip”) condition. This means that you’ll have some imperfections in the unit. These are generally cosmetic and barely noticeable once our team is done with our checks and repairs; our coat of grey paint also helps.
We understand you want an industrial look – just not complete with industrial wear. With us, you’ll get a steel container that’s in good shape to be used for temporary storage for years to come.
Common Types of Wear on Containers
Many of our used containers are delivered to our Tampa area location with a few travel scars. When they arrive, we inspect them and properly repair the physical damage present. Commonly, the natural wear and damage we’ll notice include not just dings and dents, but also delaminated flooring, damage to the door hinges and locking systems, rust and corrosion, and/or punctures and gouges.
Delaminated Flooring
This occurs in the plywood flooring in the container naturally over time and is a sign of normal wear. Shipping containers use marine-grade plywood flooring with a strong coating on it that prevents moisture from soaking into the wood and causing rot. However, this sealant may break up and the layers of the plywood flooring can begin to peel and/or flake over time.
Should this occur, this type of damage is most easily repaired by replacing that section of flooring with a new piece and fresh coat of sealant.
Door Damage
The doors on the container are important for obvious reasons. During transit on shipping lines, the door mechanicals like rods and cams may be bent or damaged. This may make the doors more difficult, if not impossible, to open and make gaining access to the shipping container a pain. Damage to the door can make it harder to properly secure the unit.
Rust or Corrosion
These steel containers have been on ships in the open ocean. Therefore, rust can occur on any part of the container, baring the flooring due to the plywood surface.
Containers are designed to have limited places where water can collect during the voyage, but it’s water and there are always places where it can creep in and start corroding the unit. The most common places rust occurs are the areas under the doors, and the top corners. If the unit has significant dents in the surface, then rust can start to form at these areas too.
Punctures & Gouges
This isn’t a natural occurrence, and punctured sides don’t normally happen but they can occur. For example, the forks on a forklift may pierce or puncture the side of the unit. In the areas of punctured and gouges, we weld the damaged area.
Dings & Dents
Dented walls and ceilings are generally caused when moving cargo in and out of the container. Dings and dents if left unchecked can provide an entry point for rust and corrosion. As long as the dent doesn’t go the entire way through the container wall, then while it impacts the grade there is not a need to fix them as the container is still storage worthy.
But don’t worry – when there are more severe dents & dings that’s why we have Preston (get it? It presses a ton). Preston helps us to fix the dings and dents commonly found in used cargo containers allowing our team to weld any holes and exterior damage to make the unit water and wind tight. Preston has 20 years of experience and is an invaluable member of the A American team.
Remember, if you want a ‘like-new’ container, then you’ll pay a premium for the container purchase. But some clients may not care less about the look, they just need the storage, so they opt to purchase a B- or C-grade to pay the least amount possible.
Used Steel Shipping Container Sizes
The potential wear & tear will occur no matter what size unit. A American’s used containers are available in the same sizes as the new containers, ranging in size from 20 feet to 40 feet long. We mainly offer standard height of 8.5 feet tall, but do have high-cube units (9.5 feet) available as well.
If you need something other than a standard size container, then you can purchase a unit that we can modify to fit your specific needs. Our experienced welding team will customize your shipping container to fit your storage needs, or leave it unaltered if you’d prefer to rent a unit from us.
Think outside the box! Have an idea for your shipping container? Contact us and let us know.
Steel Cargo Container Damage
As you can see damage to cargo shipping containers can come in many forms. Unlike others in the industry who ‘patch’ with tape, tar, and paint, A American Container properly inspects and repairs units to meet or exceed the grade. We know that unrepaired damage can lead to future rust, corrosion, and decrease the units value. On top of that, we care about keeping your belongings as safe and secure from the elements as possible.
A American offers shipping container sales and rentals in a variety of units from new equipment to used and occasionally damaged units. Get more information on our shipping container options by calling (813) 740-1911, or fill out the form to request a free container quote.
