5 specifications in stock
top-loading units with removable tarpaulin or hard roofs and swinging header bars for over-height and crane-loaded cargo
For machinery exporters, project cargo shippers, plant hire firms and steel traders.
Request a quoteEvery open top containers specification we hold in stock, with indicative delivered price ranges. Select a unit to see the full specification and request a quote.
Hard top units carry a detachable steel roof panel that bolts down and seals like a standard container once closed, giving full weather and security protection with crane access when needed. The roof lifts with the same spreader as the box.
€3,100 – €5,050
approx. $3,400 – $5,500 · ex-depot, excl. VAT and delivery
Preferred for high-value machinery, tobacco, and cargo that must be both crane-loaded and genuinely watertight in transit.
A 40ft high cube open top adds a foot of height to the crane-loading advantage, accommodating tall plant that would otherwise need flat rack shipment and out-of-gauge charges. Header bars swing clear for full end access.
€3,600 – €5,800
approx. $3,900 – $6,300 · ex-depot, excl. VAT and delivery
Used by generator suppliers, packaging machinery makers and industrial installers shipping tall assembled equipment.
An open top container replaces the fixed roof with a tarpaulin over removable roof bows and adds a swinging header bar above the cargo doors, so cargo can be craned in from above or loaded end-on. Lashing rings are rated for heavy machinery restraint.
€3,400 – €5,500
approx. $3,700 – $6,000 · ex-depot, excl. VAT and delivery
Chosen by machinery exporters, glass and steel traders and anyone whose cargo exceeds the door aperture of a standard box.
Removable roof containers are typically standard boxes converted with a bolt-on, gasket-sealed roof section that can be lifted off on site rather than only at port. Lifting lugs are welded to the panel for safe handling.
€3,200 – €5,200
approx. $3,500 – $5,650 · ex-depot, excl. VAT and delivery
Popular for static installations such as plant rooms and tank enclosures where equipment must be craned in and out during service life.
The soft top uses a PVC-coated polyester tarpaulin secured by a customs-sealed rope through eyelets, keeping tare weight low and allowing very fast opening. Roof bows lift out individually for partial access.
€3,050 – €5,000
approx. $3,300 – $5,450 · ex-depot, excl. VAT and delivery
Standard for project cargo and one-off machinery moves where speed of loading matters more than absolute weather sealing.
Swaans Containers B.V. supplies open top containers for sale to buyers in more than sixty countries. Our open top containers stock covers top-loading units with removable tarpaulin or hard roofs and swinging header bars for over-height and crane-loaded cargo, and every unit is inspected, graded and photographed before it is offered for sale. Whether you need a single box delivered to a yard next week or a fleet of units staged at a port for an export programme, you are dealing with a trading desk that owns the equipment rather than a broker passing on someone else's list.
There are 5 specifications in this range, and choosing between them is usually a question of how the unit will be loaded, what the cargo weighs and where it has to go. We publish the full technical detail for each one so you can compare dimensions, payload and certification side by side, and our sales engineers will tell you plainly when a cheaper or simpler specification will do the same job. That advice costs nothing and it is the reason most of our customers come back.
Condition is the other decision. New one-trip units have completed a single laden voyage from the factory and are effectively unused: clean paint, tight seals, no repairs, and a full service life ahead of them. Cargo-worthy used units hold valid CSC certification and can still travel internationally, but they carry the surface rust and plate repairs of working equipment. Wind-and-watertight units are structurally sound and dry but are sold for static use. We grade honestly, and we send photographs of the actual unit rather than a stock image, so nothing arrives as a surprise.
Pricing is quoted fully landed. That means the container, the transport, the lift and the paperwork in one figure, with no release fees or handling charges appearing later. Because we buy from shipping lines, leasing companies and manufacturers directly, and because we hold stock in multiple regions, the unit you order is sourced from the depot closest to your delivery address. On a single container that difference is often several hundred euros; across a fleet order it is substantial.
Machinery exporters, project cargo shippers, plant hire firms and steel traders form the core of the customer base for this range, but the equipment is genuinely versatile and we regularly supply buyers who have found a use we had not seen before. If your application is unusual, describe it and we will engineer a specification around it. Our own workshops handle cutting, welding, insulation, lining, electrical fit-out, painting and branding, so a modified unit leaves as a finished product rather than as a shell you have to find a fabricator for.
Delivery is arranged worldwide by road, rail and sea. Within Europe most stock units reach site within three to ten working days on a tilt-bed or HIAB vehicle. For overseas orders we book ocean space, handle export documentation and can deliver to your nominated port or door. Site requirements are simple but not negotiable: firm level ground under each corner casting, clear approach space of roughly twice the container length, and no overhead cables. Where access is tight we arrange crane offload or a transfer point nearby.
After the sale we remain the point of contact. Spare parts, door gear, gaskets, locking bars, refrigeration components and repair services are all available, and units bought from us can be traded back or resold through our network when your requirement changes. That matters more than it sounds: a container is an asset with a genuine second-hand market, and buying from a supplier who will also buy it back protects your position.
To move forward, send us the specification you think you need, the delivery address or port, and the date you need it on site. If you are not sure which unit fits, send the cargo dimensions and weight instead. You will get a written quotation with the fully landed price, the condition grades available, the certification supplied and a realistic delivery date, normally within one working day.
Compare the internal size, capacity and payload of every open top containers specification we hold before you request a quote.
| Specification | External size | Volume | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Top Shipping Container for Sale | 6.06 x 2.44 x 2.59 m | 33.2 m³ | 28,280 kg |
| Soft Open Top Container for Sale | 6.06 x 2.44 x 2.59 m | 33.2 m³ | 28,280 kg |
| Hard Top Container for Sale | 6.06 x 2.44 x 2.59 m | 33.2 m³ | 28,280 kg |
| Open Top High Cube Container for Sale | 12.19 x 2.44 x 2.90 m | 76.3 m³ | 28,600 kg |
| Removable Roof Container for Sale | 6.06 x 2.44 x 2.59 m | 33.2 m³ | 28,280 kg |
Read this before ordering open top containers for sale — it covers grade, certification, site access and delivery so the unit you buy suits the job.
New or one-trip units have made a single laden voyage from the factory and are visually near-perfect, with clean paint, tight seals and a full service life ahead. They cost more but need no remedial work and photograph well for customer-facing installations. Used stock is graded as cargo-worthy or wind-and-watertight. Cargo-worthy units carry valid CSC certification and can still be shipped internationally; wind-and-watertight units are structurally sound and dry but are sold for static use. Surface rust and repairs are normal at this grade and are documented before purchase.
Most units are delivered by tilt-bed or HIAB vehicle. You need firm, level ground, roughly twice the container length of clear approach space, and no overhead cables. Where access is restricted we arrange crane offload or split delivery to a nearby transfer point.
Place the container on a firm base such as concrete pads, railway sleepers or compacted hardcore under each corner casting. A level base is essential: a twisted frame makes the doors bind and voids most weathertight expectations.
Common modifications include personnel doors, windows, insulation, lining, electrics, shelving, ventilation, extra vents, partitions, ramps, security shutters and bespoke paint schemes. Specify these at order stage so the work is completed before delivery.
Maintenance is straightforward: keep door hinges and locking bars greased, clear roof debris, treat surface rust as it appears, and check the floor and door seals annually. Well-maintained steel containers routinely give twenty-five years of service.
The questions buyers ask most often about open top containers for sale. Select a question to read the answer.
Start with how the unit will be loaded and what the cargo weighs, then match that to the door aperture, internal dimensions and payload figures on each product page. If two options look close, the deciding factor is usually site access. Send us the details and we will recommend a specification in writing.
Both. We supply single containers to private buyers and small businesses on exactly the same terms as fleet orders, and we hold enough stock to fill multi-unit programmes for logistics operators and contractors.
Used units graded cargo-worthy carry a valid CSC safety approval plate and are certified for international carriage. Wind-and-watertight units are sold for static use only. We state the grade clearly on every quotation.
Yes. We apply two-pack marine paint schemes and vinyl branding at our own works before dispatch, which is cheaper and better finished than doing it on site.
Tell us about the access when you enquire — gate widths, overhead cables, ground surface and turning space. We will specify tilt-bed, HIAB or crane offload accordingly, or arrange a transfer at a nearby yard.
We regularly buy back units we have supplied and take trade-ins against new purchases. Send photographs and the serial number and we will make an offer.
Certified units come with the CSC plate details, serial number, manufacture year and our inspection report. Export orders include the commercial paperwork required for customs clearance.
Most quotations are issued within one working day. Complex modified builds may take two to three days while the workshop confirms the specification and schedule.
Other ranges buyers compare with open top containers for sale before ordering.
Same working day
Tell us the specification and destination and we confirm stock, grade, certification and delivered price in writing.
