Used and Second-Hand Shipping Containers for Sale
Used containers are the cheapest route to secure, weatherproof storage. In October 2026 a wind and watertight 20ft typically sold for $2,990 to $4,000 incl. GST. Learn how used containers are graded, what to inspect and where cheap units hide extra costs.
Backed by the team behind Shipping-Containers.com.au
Second-hand containers explained
Where used containers come from and how they are sold
Supply
From shipping fleets to your section
Shipping lines and container leasing companies retire boxes from sea service once repairs and surveys stop paying off, commonly after 10 to 15 years. Those containers are sold at port depots and become most of the used stock in New Zealand yards and on Trade Me. Other used units come out of local hire fleets, listed as ex-hire, or from private owners reselling a container they no longer need.
Age varies widely. One NZ supplier’s 2026 clearance list included a 20ft built in 1970, sold as is where is in Christchurch, and a 40ft from 2003, alongside units only a few years old. The build year on the CSC plate tells you more than the word used.
Grades
How NZ sellers describe condition
New Zealand has no national grading standard for used containers. Sellers use their own words: A grade, B grade, C grade, weatherproof, watertight, WWT (wind and watertight), cargo-worthy, tidy, ex-lease and as-is. Two B grade units from different yards can look quite different.
- Wind and watertight or B grade: sound structure, doors that seal, no holes. Expect dents, surface rust and old markings.
- Cargo-worthy: surveyed as fit to carry cargo by sea, with a valid CSC plate.
- As-is, C grade or D grade: no promise that it keeps water out.
Our guide to shipping container grades explains each term and what to ask.
Storage or freight
A storage container is not a freight container
Most second-hand containers bought in New Zealand never go to sea again. They sit on a farm, a building site or a section, so wind and watertight is the standard that matters for home and household storage. If you plan to export goods in your own container, you need a cargo-worthy unit with a valid CSC safety approval plate and a current examination, and the shipping line may ask for a survey.
State the use in your quote request. A storage-grade box will not pass for sea freight, and paying for cargo-worthy when you only need storage adds cost for nothing.
| Size and condition | n | Price incl. GST | Excl. GST equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft used, wind and watertight or B grade | 15 | median $3,680; typical $2,990 to $4,000 | median $3,200 |
| 20ft used, as-is (C or D grade) | 3 | $1,495 to $3,220 | $1,300 to $2,800 |
| 40ft standard, used WWT or B grade | 4 | $3,500 to $5,060 | $3,043 to $4,400 |
| 40ft high cube, used WWT or B grade | 3 | $3,000 to $6,595 | $2,609 to $5,735 |
| 40ft high cube, as-is (C grade) | 2 | $4,025 to $6,095 | $3,500 to $5,300 |
| 20ft new one-trip, for comparison | 51 | median $4,830 | median $4,200 |
Cheap shipping containers
Where the low prices come from
As-is and D grade units
The lowest prices in our October 2026 data were as-is 20ft containers from $1,495 incl. GST. They are sold without a watertight promise. They suit uses where a drip does not matter, such as timber offcuts or scrap, or a project where the side panels will be cut out anyway.
Private sellers
Private sellers are not usually GST registered, so their asking price is the final price, which can make a private sale look cheaper than a trade listing. The Consumer Guarantees Act does not cover private sales, so a careful inspection matters even more.
Older builds
A container built in the 1980s or 1990s can still be sound, but it has had longer to rust at the corners, door frames and roof. Older plywood floors were often treated with preservatives at the factory, so check the floor before storing food, feed or anything sensitive.
Regional stock
In October 2026 used 20ft units listed at $2,860 in Christchurch and $2,990 in Auckland, while Timaru and Hastings listings sat at $3,795 to $3,950 incl. GST. A cheaper box further away can cost more once transport is added. The full data is in the NZ price index.
Repairs you may pay for later
Budget for the work a cheaper unit may need, such as door gaskets, rust treatment and paint, or floor repairs. One NZ supplier advertised a replacement pair of container doors at $559 excl. GST in 2026, and a heavy duty vent listed on Trade Me at $390 incl. GST.
Buying second-hand
Inspecting and buying a used container
Inspection
What to look at on a used container
Inspect the actual unit, or ask for recent photos of that specific container rather than a stock image. Focus on the places where water gets in or steel fails first.
- Roof: dents that hold water, rust patches and holes. Stand inside with the doors shut on a sunny day and look for pinpricks of light.
- Doors: both open fully, the locking bars turn freely and the gaskets are not split or flattened.
- Floor: no soft spots, delamination or strong chemical smells.
- Corner posts, castings and lower side rails: no flaking rust or rough old welds.
Our used container buying checklist covers the CSC plate, paperwork and scam warning signs.
Trade Me
Buying a used container on Trade Me
Trade Me is the main marketplace for containers in New Zealand, with trade and private sellers side by side. Trade sellers show GST-inclusive prices, and some also state the excl. GST figure. Many listings are for collection only and state that a swinglift or HIAB is needed to uplift the container, so the buyer organises transport. Our delivery guide explains the trucks and the access each one needs.
Check who is selling, ask to view the container and confirm that the container number in the listing matches the unit in front of you. Never pay a full deposit to a seller you cannot verify for a box you have not seen.
Coastal sites
Used containers near the coast
Much of urban New Zealand sits within 500 m of the coast or a harbour, which BRANZ classes as exposure zone D. Salt finds every scratch in old paint, so a used container in Auckland, Tauranga or Dunedin needs more care than the same box in Hamilton. Touch up bare steel early, keep the roof free of ponding water and set the container on sleepers or pads so the base can dry.
Our guide to rust and coastal corrosion explains the zones and how to repaint.
Short term
Storage for months, not years
For storage during a renovation or a build, hiring can cost less than buying and reselling. Compare the numbers in our hire vs buy guide.
Hire vs buy
Newer box
A container in better condition
A one-trip 20ft cost about $1,150 more than a used B grade 20ft at the median in October 2026. See what the difference buys on our new shipping containers page.
New containers
Get quotes for a used container
Tell us the size, the grade you need, what you will store and the delivery address. Suppliers who service your area quote you directly, with delivery shown separately.
Get a free quoteFAQ
Used shipping containers: common questions
Yes. Used, second-hand, secondhand and 2nd hand shipping containers for sale all describe a container that has done service at sea. What matters is the grade and the condition of the actual unit, not the word in the listing. Ask for current photos of the doors, seals, floor and roof, and check our guide to container grades before comparing prices.
Yes. Used, second-hand and pre-owned all describe a container that has already been in service, usually at sea or in a hire fleet. What matters is the grade and condition of the specific unit. Ask the seller what their grade includes, whether the container is wind and watertight and when it was built, and get photos of the actual box.
In the Shipping-Containers.co.nz NZ price index, October 2026, used 20ft containers sold as wind and watertight or B grade had a median asking price of $3,680 incl. GST ($3,200 excl. GST), with most listings between $2,990 and $4,000 incl. GST. As-is units started at $1,495 incl. GST. Delivery is extra.
The lowest purchase prices are for as-is or D grade units, but they may leak. For most storage, a wind and watertight 20ft from a yard near you is the best value once transport is included. If you only need the container for a year or two, hiring can cost less overall. Compare a few delivered quotes before you decide.
A container sold as wind and watertight should keep water out when it is delivered. Leaks usually start at roof dents that hold water, worn door gaskets and rust holes along the top rails. Inspect the roof and do a light test from inside with the doors closed. As-is units carry no watertight promise, so assume they may leak.
If you buy from a business for personal or household use, the Consumer Guarantees Act applies. Used goods must be of acceptable quality for their age, price and description, and must match what the seller said. Private sales are not covered. Business buyers may find the supplier has contracted out of the Act in writing, so read the terms.
Only if it is cargo-worthy, with a valid CSC safety approval plate and a current examination. Most second-hand containers sold for storage in New Zealand are graded wind and watertight, which is a different standard. Tell the seller you intend to ship the container and ask for survey documents before you pay.