Shipping a Modified Container Across the World Without Compromising the Shell
Shipping a modified container internationally creates a unique challenge. You need to add doors, HVAC, ventilation, electrical, and interior equipment without damaging the container envelope or affecting its ability to travel by cargo ship.
In this project, The Container Guy built a 20-foot high-cube laboratory container designed to be shipped around the world. The entire modification was completed without poking a single hole through the exterior envelope, helping preserve the container’s structural integrity and transportability.
Recessed Man Door and Partition Wall
The customer needed a man door without compromising the exterior shell, so the team recessed the entrance into a custom partition wall.
That partition also incorporates a removable specimen hatch, heating and air conditioning equipment, and an HRV for fresh-air ventilation.
The hatch can swing up or down and can also be removed completely, making it useful for passing equipment or samples into the container without opening the entire end.
Creating a Lab-Grade Interior
Inside, the customer wanted a clean laboratory finish.
The walls were finished with white Re-Line PVC panels, while much of the electrical conduit was recessed behind the finished surface.
This creates a much cleaner interior than traditional surface-mounted electrical and makes the space easier to wash and maintain.
Container Modification World Steel Stud Brackets and strut framing were used together so heavy equipment can still be secured to the walls while allowing larger wall panels to span between mounting points.
Some of the strut locations can support approximately 2,000 pounds when the load is properly transferred.
Removable End Wall for Equipment Installation
Because this is a double-door shipping container, one cargo-door opening was converted into a removable finished wall.
The wall is divided into a fixed section and a larger removable section.
Bolts around the perimeter can be removed so the customer can take the wall out, slide large laboratory equipment into the container, and reinstall the wall afterward.
Once closed, the finished interior looks as though the cargo doors were never there.
Heating, Cooling and Fresh Air
A PTAC-style heating and cooling unit provides climate control for the container.
With approximately two inches of insulation, the system has enough capacity to heat and cool the 20-foot space without requiring a separate baseboard heater.
An ERV was also installed because the laboratory equipment may generate fumes.
Unlike passive ventilation, an ERV introduces fresh outdoor air while recovering much of the heating or cooling energy from the exhaust air.
This makes it a much better option for an insulated and climate-controlled shipping container.
Preparing a Container for International Shipping
For a container that may travel by cargo ship, Channing recommends starting with a one-time-use container whenever possible.
Newer containers typically have current CSC certification, which makes international transport much easier.
Older or heavily modified containers may require additional inspections or recertification, which can become difficult if the container is later located somewhere without qualified inspectors.
Preserving the original structural envelope also helps keep the container suitable for conventional shipping infrastructure.
A Portable Laboratory Built for Global Transport
This project combines a recessed man door, removable partition walls, Steel Stud Brackets, strut framing, Re-Line wall panels, PTAC climate control and an ERV into a clean portable laboratory.
The result is a highly finished container that can transport specialized equipment across the world while still using the same ports, cranes, ships and trucks that handle standard shipping containers every day.
For laboratories, exploration units, industrial testing facilities and other specialized applications, designing the modification around transport requirements from the beginning can make the final container far more versatile.