20ft Shipping Containers for Hire

Why Hire a 20ft Shipping Container?

A standard 20ft container gives you useful storage capacity without taking up the space of a 40ft unit. It is suitable for sites where access or available ground is limited, while still providing enough room for tools, materials, equipment and stock.

• Compact footprint: The external length is 6.058m, making a 20ft unit easier to accommodate than a longer container.
• Strong floor: The container specification includes a marine plywood floor supported by steel crossmembers.
• Enclosed storage: Steel walls, roof and double end doors protect contents from normal outdoor exposure when the container is in suitable condition and properly closed.
• Temporary capacity: Hiring can suit construction work, refurbishment projects, seasonal stock and other requirements with a defined end point.

If you need more floor space, compare a 40ft shipping container for hire. Where temperature control is required, a 20ft refrigerated container for hire may be more appropriate.

20ft Shipping Container Dimensions

Check both the outside and inside measurements before confirming the hire. External dimensions determine whether the container will fit the site, while internal and door-opening dimensions determine whether your goods can be loaded and stored as planned.

The door opening is smaller than the full internal width and height, so measure the largest item you intend to load through the doors. Individual containers may vary slightly, so confirm critical dimensions for the unit supplied before planning a tight fit.

Hiring Versus Buying a 20ft Container

Hire works best where the requirement is temporary, and the container can be returned once the project ends. Buying can make more sense where the unit will remain in use for a long period or needs permanent alterations.

Hire may suit

• Construction sites and engineering projects with defined completion dates.
• Temporary stock, equipment or materials storage.
• Seasonal demand or short-term business expansion.
• Projects where you don’t want to own, store or dispose of the container afterwards.

Buying may suit

• Long-term or permanent storage requirements.
• Projects where the container will become part of a permanent site setup.
• Uses requiring structural or permanent modifications.
• Situations where you need freedom to retain or relocate the container for future use.

Hire terms should be checked before modifying or moving the container. You should also understand responsibility for damage, how collection is arranged and what condition the unit must be in when it goes off hire. If ownership is more suitable, compare 20ft shipping containers for sale.

Container Condition and Security

Hire containers may include one-trip or used equipment. A one-trip container has normally completed a single cargo journey, while used units may show more cosmetic wear from previous service. These descriptions indicate broad condition and shouldn’t be treated as guarantees beyond the agreed hire specification.

Before loading, check the doors, locking bars, seals, floor and visible container structure. Doors should open and close correctly when the container is positioned level. A lockbox, where fitted, is a steel cover around the padlock area that makes direct access to the lock more difficult.

Use a suitable padlock and consider the wider site as part of the security plan. Lighting, controlled site access and positioning the container where activity can be monitored may help reduce opportunities for unauthorised access. For further practical measures, see the container security guide.

HIAB Delivery and Site Access

A 20ft container is normally delivered on a suitable lorry and lifted into position. HIAB is a common term for a lorry-mounted hydraulic crane used to unload and place the container.

The delivery vehicle needs enough room to reach the unloading point, position safely and operate its crane. Check the whole route into the site rather than only the space where the container will sit. Gates, narrow roads, sharp bends, parked vehicles, soft verges and restricted yards can all create problems.

Prepare the site before delivery

• Check the access route is wide enough for the delivery vehicle.
• Allow sufficient turning and manoeuvring space near the unloading point.
• Keep the crane working area clear of power lines, cables, branches and building overhangs.
• Provide firm ground suitable for the delivery vehicle and container.
• Prepare level supports beneath the four container corner castings.
• Decide which direction the doors should face before unloading begins.
• Keep enough access available for collection at the end of the hire.

A container placed on soft or uneven ground can settle and twist. This can make the doors harder to operate and may affect how well they close. Supporting the four corners evenly helps keep the frame aligned and lifts the container clear of standing water. See the container loading guide for further practical handling advice.

Condensation and Day-to-Day Storage

A closed steel container can develop condensation when moisture inside the container meets colder surfaces. Damp goods, wet pallets and water carried in on equipment can all add moisture to the internal air.

Load dry goods wherever possible and keep ventilation openings clear. Raising suitable stored items slightly off the floor can help airflow beneath them and reduce contact with any localised dampness.

Moisture-sensitive contents such as paper, textiles and furniture may need more careful storage planning. Desiccants, lining or insulation can sometimes form part of that approach, but the right method depends on what is being stored and for how long.

Using a Hired 20ft Container for Freight

If the container will be used for international shipping rather than static site storage, confirm that the particular hire unit is suitable for freight before loading it.

CSC means the International Convention for Safe Containers. A valid CSC safety approval plate is relevant to containers used in international transport, but the container still needs to meet the requirements of the intended movement. Check the individual unit, cargo and route with the shipping line or freight forwarder.

Verified Gross Mass, or VGM, is the verified total gross mass of a packed container used for applicable sea freight movements. The shipper should establish how it will be obtained and submitted. Acorn Containers’ VGM guide explains the subject in more detail.

Export shipments can also involve customs declarations, insurance, tax, storage charges, detention and demurrage. Incoterms 2020 can help define responsibilities between buyer and seller, but they do not replace carrier, customs or insurance requirements. Check the intended shipment with the relevant freight forwarder, customs agent, shipping line, insurer or professional adviser.

Arranging 20ft Shipping Container Hire

Providing clear site and storage information before delivery helps reduce avoidable problems and makes it easier to confirm that a 20ft container is suitable.

1. Estimate how much storage space you need and how long the container will be required.
2. Measure any large equipment or pallets that must pass through the container doors.
3. Check the site entrance, access route, turning space and overhead obstructions.
4. Choose the placement position and confirm the required door orientation.
5. Prepare firm, level support beneath the four container corners.
6. Check the doors and visible condition when the container is delivered.
7. Keep the collection route accessible and arrange off-hire once the container is empty and ready to be collected.

For 20ft shipping containers for hire, give Acorn Containers your intended use, hire duration and delivery details so the requirement can be assessed before the container is dispatched.