Double Door and Tunnel Shipping Containers
A double door container, also called a tunnel container, has a full set of cargo doors at both ends. You can load from either end, pass long items straight through or split the box into two lockable halves. External sizes match standard 20ft and 40ft containers.
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Design
How tunnel containers differ
Construction
A second door set in place of the front wall
A standard container has doors at one end and a solid front wall at the other. A tunnel container replaces that front wall with a second door set, complete with locking bars and seals. External dimensions are the same as a standard 20ft or 40ft container, and the internal length is close to standard. Check exact figures against our shipping container dimensions table.
Each end opens to the full door width of about 2.34 m on a standard container, with each door leaf about 1.2 m wide. Leave room for both leaves to swing back against the sides at every end you plan to use.
Benefits
Why buyers choose double doors
- Two users, one box: fit a partition in the middle and each half gets its own lockable entrance.
- First in, first out: load stock at one end and take it out at the other.
- Long items such as pipe, timber, kayaks or irrigation lines pass straight through.
- Tight sites: if the truck can only place the container one way, you still have doors facing the access.
- Air flow: opening both ends on a dry day airs the box out quickly.
Placement
Placement, delivery and ramps
Both ends are working ends, so place the container where each has clear space. A tunnel container with one end hard against a fence wastes the second door set. On a tilt tray the container slides off the back of the truck, and on a swinglift it is set down beside the trailer, so check which method suits your site in our delivery guide.
For wheeling a mower, quad bike or trolley through, add ramps at both ends. The door sill sits above ground level, more so on sleepers or blocks. Our container accessories page covers ramps and load ratings.
| Container | Price incl. GST | Price excl. GST | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft one-trip double door | $5,500 to $5,900 | $4,783 to $5,130 | Three listings: Auckland, Waikato, Northland |
| 20ft one-trip standard, for comparison | $4,590 to $5,290 | $3,991 to $4,600 | Middle half of 51 listings, median $4,830 incl. GST |
| 40ft double door | No published price | No published price | Quote only in October 2026 |
What a double door container costs
In October 2026 one-trip 20ft double door containers were listed at $5,500 to $5,900 incl. GST, roughly $700 to $1,100 above the median one-trip 20ft at $4,830 incl. GST. All three listings came from one seller, so treat the figures as a guide. No 40ft double door prices were published, which leaves a quote as the only way to get a figure. Standard container prices by size and condition are in the NZ shipping container price index.
Most double door containers on the market are new or one-trip, because the second door set is fitted at the factory. Used units come up less often. Our page on new and one-trip containers explains what one-trip means and what to check when the container arrives.
Uses
Where tunnel containers work well
Shared storage
Clubs, schools and community groups
Sports clubs, schools and community groups often share storage between two teams or user groups. A tunnel container with a partition gives each group its own door and key without buying two boxes. See containers for schools, clubs and councils for layouts and security.
Sites and farms
Building sites and farms
On building sites one end can hold the builder’s tools and the other a subcontractor’s materials, each locked separately. On farms a tunnel container works as covered storage for long irrigation pipe and fencing material that would be awkward to pull out of a single-door box. Our site storage and workshop containers page covers placement on building sites.
Workshops
Workshops and garages
Hobby workshops benefit from light and air at both ends, and a tunnel layout lets you wheel a small trailer in one end and out the other. For a wider space, two containers can be joined side by side; Andy explains one method in his guide to joining two containers without welding.
Double door or side opening
Choose double doors when you need access from both ends or a split box. Choose a side opener when you need to reach everything along the length at once. Based on October 2026 listings, a 20ft side opener costs roughly twice as much as a 20ft tunnel container. Compare the two on our side-opening containers page, or start from the container types overview. When you know what you need, send the size, condition and delivery address through the quote form.
Request tunnel container quotes
Tell us the length, new or used, what you will store and the delivery address. Suppliers who service your area quote you directly.
Get a free quoteFAQ
Double door container questions
A tunnel container is a shipping container with cargo doors at both ends instead of one. The name comes from being able to see, walk or pass items straight through when both ends are open. It is the same as a double door container. External sizes match standard 20ft and 40ft containers, and most are sold new or one-trip.
In October 2026, one-trip 20ft double door containers were listed on Trade Me at $5,500 to $5,900 incl. GST, all from one seller. That is roughly $700 to $1,100 more than a standard one-trip 20ft. No 40ft double door prices were published, so ask suppliers to quote. Delivery is extra and depends on distance and site access.
The second door set replaces the solid front wall, and its frame is built to carry the corner loads in the same way as the standard door end. For storage use the difference does not matter. Doors at both ends do mean twice as many seals and locking bars to maintain and secure, so fit a lockbox and padlock at each end.
Yes. A steel or timber partition fixed in the middle turns a tunnel container into two separate stores, each with its own doors and lock. Ask the supplier to fit it before delivery, or fit it yourself using the floor and wall structure for fixing. Allow for the partition thickness when you work out the usable length of each half.
They exist, but fewer are traded than 20ft units and no 40ft double door prices were published in October 2026. Suppliers may be able to source one, or offer a 40ft high cube with side doors instead. Ask for availability and lead time in your quote request, and say whether a used unit would suit you.