Getting Container Transport Quotes is Easy on Shiply

How To Ship A Container

If you need to move a lot of items, for example, an entire house or office, then moving them in a container may be the most efficient way for you to go about it. Regardless of what it is you need to move, if you need LOTS of space, a container is likely the way to go. They offer great protection, come in various sizes (most commonly 20ft or 40ft), and are also ideal if you need to send your items overseas as they are easily loaded and unloaded.

Moving a container, however, is not quite as easy as sending a parcel at the post office. You will usually need to spend some time searching for a company to carry out your container transport, which can involve a lot of manual searching and calling for quotes. Thankfully, there is a time-saving solution - Shiply! There are hundreds of companies on our platform ready to bid on your job, often at rates up to 75% less than standard, and it only takes a minute to get started.

How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Container?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to give an accurate estimate on the pricing of transporting a container due to the number of factors that can affect the costs. However, to get an idea of what it will cost you, here are the things that will affect pricing:

Distance - The most important factor in your container transport pricing is the distance that you need your container to travel. Shorter journeys will be cheaper, although the price per mile tends to decrease for longer distances. Containers are often sent abroad, and if this is the case you can expect it to cost more than domestic transport.

Size/Weight - Typically, containers are between 20ft and 40ft in size, although there is a wide range available out there. Generally, the larger and heavier your container is, the more you can expect to pay to transport it.

FCL Or LCL - Whether you require a full container load or less than a container load will also have a big effect on the costs of your container transport. LCL requirements will typically cost less as you are not taking up an entire container and will split the costs with the other occupants.

Timings - If you need your container somewhere by a certain time or date, you will likely need to pay a premium to secure this. Container transport companies on Shiply are generally trying to fill space on journeys they are already making, and so the more flexible you are able to be with dates, the better prices you will likely receive.

How Can Shiply Help Find Container Transport Companies?

As stated earlier, finding a container transporter to move your container can often prove difficult as manual searching and comparing quotes are required. On Shiply, collecting quotes only takes a few minutes. You just need to give us a few simple bits of information about your requirements, such as the size of the container, the pick-up and drop-off locations, and the desired timings. Once submitted, you should start receiving quotes within 30 minutes all in one spot, allowing you to easily compare pricing. Further, Shiply provides feedback and a rating system for each transport provider, allowing you to have confidence in whoever you pick to carry out your container transport. There is also a messaging system available should you have any further questions for anyone who has provided you with a quote.

Making finding a container transporter easy is not the only benefit of Shiply, it is also one of the cheapest options available! This is because most container transport companies on our platform are already making a trip and want to make sure they are not travelling with any empty space. Their costs are already sunk, meaning they can offer you up to to 75% less than usual pricing. Also, by using Shiply, you are helping to keep CO2 emissions down by reducing the number of unnecessary transport vehicles on the roads.

Preparing For Your Container To Be Shipped

Once you have decided on a container transport service to carry out your delivery, you will need to prepare for it to be picked up. We suggest the following steps:

Documents - Depending on what you are sending and where you may need some documentation. Any food items or items that may be restricted will need the correct documentation, as well as customs papers if your container is going abroad. We always recommend sorting these documents out before pick-up to avoid unwanted delays during transit. 

Packing - Generally, the items in a container should not be small enough to roll around too easily, but you should still ensure everything is wrapped up and tied down to avoid damage during transit.

Cleaning - Cleaning your items can be a great way to ascertain their condition prior to pick-up. This will help in determining any damage that may occur during the transport.

Photographs - Along with cleaning, we recommend you take high-quality photographs of your items just to ensure you have good proof of their condition before they go in the container.

What To Do After Delivery

Once your container transport has been completed, we recommend checking everything over and raising any issues or concerns with your chosen transport provider immediately.

Finally, we also ask that you leave feedback and a review for your chosen container shipping service so that future Shiply users can know what to expect from them.