Why do shipping container prices change month to month?

Container prices track steel cost, new-build output in Asia and the imbalance between import and export volumes at each depot. A surplus port is cheaper than a deficit port for the same box on the same day.

Is delivery included in a container price?

Swaans quotes ex-depot and delivered separately so you can see both. Delivered pricing includes haulage, and where required a crane or tilt-bed vehicle for ground-level placement.

Is a used container cheaper than a new one?

Yes. A cargo-worthy used unit typically sits well below a one-trip unit of the same size, with wind-and-watertight and repair grades lower again. The trade-off is cosmetic condition and remaining CSC life.

Pricing guide

Shipping Container Prices

There is no single list price for a container: the same 20ft box can differ by a wide margin between two depots on the same morning. This page explains what is actually in the number so you can read a quote properly, compare like with like, and see where cost can be taken out.

What Sets the Price

Size and type

Length and height set the baseline; specialised builds — reefer, tank, flat rack, open top — carry the machinery or certification premium on top.

Grade and condition

New one-trip, cargo-worthy, wind-and-watertight and repair grade are four different price bands for the same footprint.

Depot location

Import-heavy ports carry surplus boxes and price lower; export-heavy inland depots price higher for the identical unit.

Delivery and placement

Haulage distance, vehicle type and whether the site needs a crane or a tilt-bed can move the delivered price materially.

Certification

A fresh CSC plate, a survey, timber or food-grade certification and dangerous-goods documentation are all costed items.

Volume and timing

Fleet orders and flexible collection dates reduce unit cost; next-day single units are the most expensive way to buy.

Before You Ask for a Price

Fix the specification first — check the container size and dimension chart — then decide condition between new and used stock. With those two settled, a delivered price takes us minutes rather than days.

Same working day

Request a Container Price

Send the size, grade and delivery postcode and we come back with a written, delivered price — no registration, no auction.