If you're involved in manufacturing and shipping, you will often need to transport large amounts of goods to different states by road or different countries by sea. Regardless of your needs, hiring a container can help ensure that your goods are properly arranged for shipping. Renting containers is much cheaper, and it takes away the headache of what to do about the container when not in active use. Before renting the container, here are important factors to consider: 

1. Cargo capacity

How much you can carry in a container will determine how big a container you need for your purposes. The standard unit of measurement is twenty-foot equivalent units i.e. the full capacity of a standard twenty-foot container. So that means 40-foot containers have a volume of 2 TEUs. Weight-wise, the standard 20-foot container weighs about 2 tons when filled and can carry a volume of around 1,150 cubic feet. This is enough to shuttle small machinery or retail goods/supplies arranged in one or two isles. This means 40-foot containers carry about 3.5-4.2 tons of weight depending on what is being carried, up to a volume of around 2,400 cubic feet. This is enough to carry larger, disassembled machinery or retail inventory and supplies in multiple isles. Use these measurements to determine how big a container will suit your needs.

2. Length of time needed

There are different rental arrangements, from long-term to short-term rentals. Following the economies of scale, long-term rentals are likely to attract better rates than short-term rentals. If you foresee your needs stretching out in the longer term, you can ask a supplier if they have rental-to-purchase options, which will eventually have you owning the container if you want. If you have sporadic large goods transportation needs, but aren't sure how often they'll come, you can ask for a month-to-month contract. Before signing up, find out the requirements for termination of the contract e.g. advance notice required. You should also find out terms of extending the contract should you need the container longer than initially planned.

3. Container features

You can get a standard container or have additional features installed for an extra cost depending on the needs of your cargo. You can ask for premium locking, which includes an internal locking system (like a kind-of vault) that can only be released with a key even if the standard external lock is tampered with. This may be a worthy investment if transporting extra-valuable goods like machinery for longer distances. Refrigerated containers should be hired for transportation of perishable goods.

There are also different types of doors e.g. roll-up doors, single entry doors and double entry doors. Double entry allows you to load and unload from both ends of the trailer – this is good if you have segregated goods and you need to remove some but not others. Be sure to mention any special cargo considerations so that you get the best container for the job.