Shipping Containers – Buy or Rent?

Dealing with large shipments sometimes requires using a shipping container. They are durable, making them ideal for long-distance transportation, and they are easy to maintain and store. However, shipping containers are not that common to a regular person and most people don’t know exactly how cost-effective they really are.

If you fall into this group, then we might be able to help you. For most people it is not a question of how durable and effective they are, but rather what the most budget-friendly solution is – in other words, whether they should buy them or rent them.

Now, there are a lot of merits to both options and in this article, we will try to explain them. So make yourself comfortable and read carefully. First, we will talk about the benefits of renting, and we will switch to buying later on.

Merits of renting

Cost-effective- If you run a business that doesn’t need shipping containers that often, then you might be better off just renting one when the need arises. Buying a shipping container will cost you more, and if you don’t have that money right now, renting one is a great substitution. On top of that, if you buy a shipping container, you will need to have a place where you can safely store it when you are not using it for shipments.

Less risk- Buying a shipping container comes with some risks and even though they are not that big of a problem, they can still become a nuisance. First of all, your container can get vandalised. Someone can spray paint over it and you will have to repaint it over and over again. With rentals, you won’t have to worry about this. The rental company will simply replace the vandalised container with a clean one and you will be good to go.

No maintenance costs- Even though shipping containers are durable, they can still get damaged and worn out. By renting instead of buying, you will avoid all the potential maintenance costs. If the rental company cares about its reputation and customers, they will make sure that every shipping container is functioning and clean-looking. One such company is Sea Container Sales and Hire. They offer a wide selection of containers that are all in mint condition.

Practical side- One last thing to note is the practicality of renting. You won’t always have the same size shipments, sometimes they will be bigger and sometimes smaller. In these situations, renting a shipping container is better than buying one. You can simply switch to a smaller one if your shipment doesn’t require that much space and vice versa. You will save quite a bit of money by doing so.

Pros of buying

Long term benefits- Buying a shipping container is not all that bad, quite the opposite, there are some long-term benefits, especially if you do a lot of shipments. Renting is only cost-effective if you are not doing shipments that often; in all other cases, buying a shipping container is more beneficial.

Financial merits- Besides being more cost-effective in a long run, shipping containers have a few more financial benefits. First, some renting services don’t cover the damage done to the container, so if you expect a rough transportation, maybe it is better to buy one. By doing so, you will avoid disputes with the owner and you won’t have to worry about any additional costs.

Adjust them to your needs- Another advantage that buying has over renting is the ability to customise your container according to your needs. Different items require different transportation conditions, and you won’t find that when it comes to rentals. They usually rent standard containers and they won’t allow you to make any alterations to them.

Safe investment- Lastly, shipping containers are a good investment. Because they are durable, they will last for a long, long time, and on top of that, their maintenance costs are small. Sure, you will have to store them somewhere when you are not using them, but a great solution for this is to rent them to other people or businesses. This way, you can easily cover your maintenance costs and earn something on the side as well.