• 102 Gosport St, Hemmant, Brisbane QLD 4174
  • sales@gatewaycontainerpark.com.au
  • Call: (07) 3348 6463
Gateway Container Sales & Hire
Gateway Container Sales & Hire
Gateway Container Sales & Hire
Menu 
  • Shipping Containers
      • Containers for Sale & Hire by Size
        • 10ft Shipping Containers
        • 20ft Shipping Containers
        • 40ft Shipping Containers
        • Container Specifications
      • Containers for Sale & Hire by Type
        • General Purpose Containers
        • High Cube Containers
        • Side Opening Containers
        • Open Tops
        • Flat Racks
        • Insulated Containers
        • Refrigerated Containers
      • Container Modifications
        • Branded Containers
        • Flammable Goods Storage
        • Portable Offices
        • Workshops
        • Accommodation Units
        • Lunch Rooms
        • Container Shelters
        • Training Containers
        • Switch Rooms
        • Ablution Units
        • Document & Archive Storage
      • Container Accessories
        • Container Security
        • Container Insulation
        • Container Ventilation
        • Container Shelving
        • Electrical Fitouts
        • Access Doors & Windows
        • Container Painting
          • Bargain Box

  • Self Storage & Hire
  • Delivery
  • FAQ
  • Our Difference
    • Our Company
      • About Us
      • Our Team
      • Testimonials
      • Industry Memberships
      • Sponsorships
      • Privacy Policy
    • Competitive Advantage
      • Ask an expert
      • Buy direct from the source
      • On site workshop & depot
      • On site storage
      • Guarantee
      • Service Area
      • Our Terms
      • Buy Back Policy
      • Industry Specialised
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Get a Quote
MENU CLOSE back  

3 Reasons Why Shipping Containers Make Great Bug Out Shelters

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Shipping Container, Buildings, Modified Shipping Containers
  3. 3 Reasons Why Shipping Containers Make Great Bug Out Shelters
SFE-Sea-Can-Solar-email-61-800×533

As more and more people become concerned with emergency preparedness, shipping containers present an interesting use case as “bug out shelters.” The idea of a bug out shelter stems from the concept of nuclear “fallout shelters.” At its core, it’s essentially a backup location, where someone can temporarily retreat to for protection from natural or man-made disasters affecting their region.

There are several features that make shipping containers a compelling solution for an emergency shelter, but some of the foremost are: strength, low cost, and potential for off-grid power. Let’s examine each of these in turn:

1. Strength

Shipping containers are built to withstand some serious abuse. As many people know, the frame of a container is designed to have other containers stacked on it, in order to make transoceanic voyages. Additionally, the Corten steel that shipping containers are constructed from, is specifically engineered to withstand corrosion. This bodes well for preppers using these containers for emergency shelters.

Even without lots of overhauling or retro-fitting, these boxes are nigh indestructible. They are resistant to fire, and damage from storms and earthquakes. They also present a “hard target” to any other people that mean to do you harm.

shipping-containers

Image Source: Sky Fire Energy

2. Low Cost

While price is a relative subject, it’s fair to say that in the grand scheme of things, a structure built with shipping containers can mean significant cost savings. True, it will likely need to be retrofitted, but essentially, a shipping container is already a structure. More and more people are catching on to this fact, which is why it is increasingly common to see containers being modified for use in retail applications–as cafes, offices, boutique stores, and more.

Due to the import-heavy economy of many countries, there are thousands of shipping containers that make a single trip across the ocean, and then sit unused. Because of this surplus, it’s possible to get a very lightly-used shipping container at a great price.

People wanting to build a bug out cabin don’t want another house payment–they already have one. After all, that’s the point of having a backup shelter right? So using shipping containers as building blocks offers some serious upside for the pocketbook! This becomes even more important in cases where traditional financing is unavailable, and you will be paying for your bug out shelter in cash (or otherwise high-interest scenario).

Joseph-Dupuis-shipping-container-home-lead1-1020x610

Image Source: Inhabitat

3. Potential for Grid Independence

When designing and building a retreat shelter, the ability to be “off the grid” is important to many. For some people, this is important because utilities aren’t an option in the location they will be building. Other people want to have an off grid cabin because they figure that in a disaster situation, the grid very well might not exist anyway. Still others have moral and philosophical reasons for wanting to be grid independent.

No matter what the reasoning is, the potential for grid independence is a really compelling advantage of shipping container shelters. In large part, this potential comes from their size. A typical 40 ft shipping container works out to be 320 square feet. If you were to use 2, it’s still only 640 square feet. That’s incredibly small!

A small space means less area to heat and cool. It means less space for lights and electricity-drawing appliances. And it intrinsically means that fewer people will be occupying that space, and sucking power from the grid. With proper insulation, rainwater catchments, a wood stove for heating, and just a few highly-efficient appliances, a shipping container has fantastic potential for being off grid.

There are several other reasons why shipping containers make a great bug out shelter, but these are among the biggest. If you’re interested in exploring this concept further, check out the complete guide to shipping container bug out shelters. At the end of the day, a shipping container is just a really smart building block. How you use it, and what it ends up becoming, is only limited by the bounds of your creativity.

About the author: 

Since 2010, Dan Carpenter has published articles, guides, and over 400 videos teaching people how to be self sufficient, on his site The Daily Prep. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, and a major proponent of alternative housing and internationalisation.

Posted on May 30, 2016
By Gateway EditorShipping Container Buildings Modified Shipping ContainersLeave a comment
Tags:Shipping Container BuildingModified Shipping Containersshipping container architecturesurvivalist shelters

Related Topics

Cambará-Container-House-19-_G243413-889×592
Glamtainers: Stunning Shipping Container Conversions for Luxury Stays
January 18, 2021
Festival 1
How Shipping Containers Make Festival Planning Easy
January 11, 2021
TTCCH-Patio
6 Benefits of Shipping Container Cafes
January 4, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

clearPost Comment

The Gateway Guarantee

Gateway carry hundreds of containers to choose from in our 2 depots, have decades of experience and know the container business inside out. We guarantee delivery of containers to the South East QLD and Northern NSW region by truck, rail or sea, or any combination thereof.

Gateway is 1 of 5 companies in Queensland who can purchase shipping containers direct from the shipping lines, so you can be sure you are buying or hiring:

  • Direct from the source
  • Widest range of containers
  • Fastest turnaround
  • Guaranteed delivery
  • Quality workmanship

If we don’t have the box you need onsite, we will source the best quality box, for the best value, faster than any other provider. Read More about the Gateway No Nonsense Guarantee.

Get a Quote Today!

gateway-bargin-box

Quick Links
  • Shipping Containers
  • Self Storage & Hire
  • Delivery
  • Container Specifications
  • Guarantee
  • FAQ
  • Our Company
Tune into the 20ft Tabloid
Specials, expert tips, creative containers, innovative mods - shipped straight to your inbox!
Contact Information

Contact Gateway Container Sales
Email enquiry
Phone: +61 7 3348 6463
Fax: +61 7 3348 6588

We are open:
6:00 to 17:00 Mon-Fri

Gateway Container Sales and Hire Pty Ltd
Australian Owned & Operated GatewayAddress:
102 Gosport St, Hemmant QLD 4174

FacebookTwitterGoogle+
Storage & Shipping Containers For Sales & Hire | Brisbane, Gold Coast, QLD – Gateway Containers. © 2020
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy