Shipping containers have been considered the invention of the century that revolutionised the manufacturing, retail and logistics industries of the world. However, through the innovation of human beings who regularly find new and exciting alternative purposes for products, shipping containers have been transformed into more than just a storage vessel.

When people found alternative uses for the shipping container, it revolutionised other industries as well, cementing the product in the annals of other multipurpose products, like the kitchen sponge and rubber gloves.

Below are the many functions shipping containers can be used for besides storage.

1. Homes

Aside from the traditional brick and mortar materials used in conventional housing construction, shipping containers have been utilised more frequently nowadays as a sustainable, cheaper, lightweight, versatile alternative to bricks and cement. With shipping containers, the ability to plan your home is fairly limited compared to sand, but due to its other, more appealing factors, a lot of homeowners are opting for the usage of shipping containers for their houses.

2. Saunas

Because of the shipping container’s steel exterior, it’s the perfect construct for retaining heat. By using shipping containers, you can reduce the cost and increase the functionality of your saunas. Users can also utilise a wood-fire stove for an even affordable option.

3. Retail Premise or Shop Lots

Instead of investing in a shop lot and incurring rental cost, shipping containers can be used as a lightweight and a cheaper alternative for your physical business. Many developers nowadays offer open area retail centers for the purpose of fitting in shipping containers. It’s cheaper for them in terms of construction cost, fun for customers and visitors and easier for merchants to just bring their own shipping container shop lot to the premise. This way, developers can still collect rental fees without worrying about upkeep, construction & maintenance costs and many other factors that go into traditional shop lots.

4. Green Houses

Due to the shortage of agricultural land, a lot of farmers have to be innovative or inventive in their methods to cultivate and harvest their produce. Among the innovative ways people have created to plant vegetables is the vertical garden. Instead of planting vegetables in the soil, they plant them upwards. This is an ingenious way to save space. Now, with the introduction of shipping containers to growing vegetables, people have been able to plant vertical gardens or multilevel planters inside shipping containers. A great article to read on this innovative way to use shipping containers as a green house for vegetables is this.

5. Swimming Pools

Digging down into the ground has always been expensive. With shipping containers, just slice the top off and fill it with water. You can also design the length, width and depth of the pool depending on how many shipping containers you want to utilise. It’s just a matter of finding a relatively good space for your new shipping container swimming pool.

6. Medical Bays

Often times, providing a makeshift medical bay in rural areas or warzones are a hassle. With shipping containers, providing the right space for treating injuries or for quarantine is now possible. They’re lightweight, meaning they can be transported on flatbed trucks and brought anywhere that requires fast alternatives to hospitals. Also, due to their size, it’s easier to sanitize and keep clean.

7. Sheds or Garage

When you need a space on your property to store gardening tools, a lawnmower or even a car, shipping containers are the perfect storage space. They come in one size which doesn’t take too much space but can store a myriad of items that you don’t need in your house and you can design them to whatever shape or size you want. In its original form, shipping containers are the perfect size for a family car so you don’t need to build a garage that costs thousands of Ringgit. Alternatively, a porch is also a great option, but if you intend to keep your car safe on your property, shipping containers are perfect for this.

8. Classrooms

Rural areas and locations that do not have access to schools utilise shipping containers for makeshift classrooms. It protects the students against the elements and is enough for small groups of children in a small villages or rural areas with a low population.

All in all, shipping containers are now becoming the go-to vessel for alternatives to the built environment. They’re more affordable, lightweight and easy to modify. For a sustainable option, choose shipping containers for your personal needs.