7 Places to Buy New Shipping Containers in the UK

"New" in the container trade usually means one trip, not straight from the factory. These seven UK suppliers sell new containers, and the details they publish (age, warranty, fittings) vary more than you'd think.

A new one-trip 20ft container. Photo: Universal Containers

One detail catches a lot of buyers out. A "new" shipping container has almost always been to sea once. It was built overseas, loaded with cargo, shipped to the UK and emptied, and only then sold. That single trip keeps it in near-new condition, with factory paint, tight seals and a clean floor, and it's why new containers cost far less than you might expect for a box that's barely been used.

What "one trip" doesn't tell you is how old the container is. A unit might have made its journey last month or been built several years ago and stored since. So when you compare new containers, look past the word and at what each supplier actually states: the build date, the warranty, what's fitted as standard, and the delivered price.

We compared seven UK suppliers on those points. Universal Containers comes first for clear pricing, ISO certification on every new unit and a full range of sizes and configurations. The other six are GAP Containers, Containers Direct, Willbox, S Jones Containers, Cleveland Containers and Portable Space, in that order.

The short version

Starting with the widest range, here's how each one compares.

1. Universal Containers

Best for: a full new range with prices online · Irlam, Greater Manchester · New 8ft from £1,450, 20ft from £1,950, 40ft from £3,250 (ex VAT); every new unit ISO certified

Universal Containers lists new containers from 8ft to 45ft with prices on the page, which makes budgeting simple. When we checked, a new 8ft started at £1,450 ex VAT, a new 9ft at £1,700, a new 10ft at £2,000, a new 20ft at £1,950, a new 30ft at £3,500 and a new 40ft at £3,250. The new 20ft one-trip unit comes with a factory-fitted lockbox, at £2,340 including VAT. All new containers are ISO certified, and high cube versions are available in several lengths.

Universal is also unusually open about age on at least one listing: its new 40ft high cube states a 2021 to 2022 build date. That's the kind of detail you should ask every supplier for. Beyond the box, it can paint in any RAL colour, fit accessories such as shelving, lining and electrics before delivery, and take the container further into a full conversion at its Manchester facility. The range is listed under new containers from Universal Containers.

The trade-off: Universal's new 20ft isn't the cheapest published (Portable Space lists one at £1,850 ex VAT), and it doesn't publish a fixed structural warranty period the way Cleveland does. Ask for the warranty terms with your quote.

2. GAP Containers

Best for: new units painted and fitted to order · Kirkby, Liverpool · New one-trip 8ft, 10ft, 20ft and 40ft, quote-led

GAP sells new one-trip containers from 8ft to 40ft and quotes each order on specification, location, transport and access. It can add lockboxes, personnel doors, vents and shelving, paint to a RAL colour and deliver with its own HIAB fleet, so the container arrives looking and working the way you want.

The trade-off: there's no published price for new units, so you can't compare GAP without asking for a quote.

3. Containers Direct

Best for: a new container built to a non-standard size · Knowsley, Liverpool · New once-used 20ft with factory modifications; new builds from scratch

Containers Direct offers two kinds of "new". There's the familiar once-used 20ft, available with factory modifications. And there's a true new build, made from scratch in its Knowsley workshop to non-standard widths or heights. The second route suits projects where a standard 8ft-wide box is the wrong shape, though it isn't a recycled shipping container. The firm has been ISO 9001 accredited since 2015.

The trade-off: its 20ft page includes more than one warranty description, so confirm the warranty that applies to your order in writing.

4. Willbox

Best for: buying new in bulk for a business · Southampton, with 20+ UK depots · New and used sales; new one-way containers sold to end users, trade and self-storage operators

Willbox supplies new single-trip containers to trade customers, self-storage operators and individual end users, with sale and hire options across more than 20 depots and its own delivery fleet. For a business buying several units for a site or a storage yard, that scale helps.

The trade-off: Willbox doesn't publish a fixed price or build age for new containers, and stock varies by depot, so ask for both on the quote.

5. S Jones Containers

Best for: specialist new configurations · Aldridge, West Midlands · New 10ft, 20ft and 40ft, high cube, tunnel and side-opening

S Jones explains one-trip well: its new containers are made overseas and used once to bring cargo to the UK, so light handling marks can occur. Its new range covers 10ft, 20ft and 40ft, plus high cube, tunnel and side-opening versions, with modifications available and crane-equipped delivery across Great Britain.

The trade-off: exact prices need a quote, because the VAT basis and model scope vary.

6. Cleveland Containers

Best for: the longest written warranty · Based on Teesside, more than twenty depots · New 20ft typically less than 12 months old, up to 60 months' structural warranty

Cleveland publishes two things most suppliers don't. Its new 20ft standard containers are typically less than 12 months old, and they're covered for up to five years (60 months) after delivery against structural defects and for being as described. A lockbox is included. If you want written cover on a new container, this is the benchmark.

The trade-off: cosmetic marks and bespoke builds are excluded from the warranty, and prices are quoted by location rather than listed.

7. Portable Space

Best for: the lowest published new 20ft price · Bacton, near Stowmarket, Suffolk · New 20ft one-trip in dark green (RAL 6007) from £1,850 ex VAT

When we checked, Portable Space listed a new one-trip 20ft in dark green at £1,850 ex VAT (£2,220 inc VAT), with a factory-fitted lockbox. That was the lowest published new 20ft price we found. You can also click and collect from its Bacton yard in Suffolk if you arrange suitable transport, and delivery is calculated by postcode.

The trade-off: the headline price is for a specific colour and listing, and extras and delivery are added at checkout. A Suffolk yard also means a long haul for northern buyers.

New is a cargo history, not an age

"One trip" tells you a container has carried one load, not when it was made. Universal's new 40ft high cube listing, for instance, states a 2021 to 2022 build date, while Cleveland says its new 20ft units are typically under a year old. Both can be called new.

Does the age matter? For storage, not much, because a well-made container lasts decades. It does matter for resale, for export (an unmodified one-trip unit carries a CSC safety approval plate, and the container's examination dates follow from its build date) and for how fresh the paint looks. So ask every supplier for the build date and get it on the order.

New or used?

A new container costs roughly twice as much as a basic used one. At Universal Containers, for example, a new 20ft starts at £1,950 ex VAT against £999 for a used 20ft. That gap is worth paying when appearance matters (offices, retail, high-end conversions), when you want warranty cover, or when you'll convert the container and want clean steel to start from. For a box on the back of a yard, used is usually the better value.

About this comparison

We compared ten UK suppliers selling new one-trip containers and kept the seven that publish enough on price, age, warranty, fittings or configuration to compare. Each was assessed on published pricing, stated age or build date, warranty, standard fittings, size range and new-build options. Listings were read in early November 2026, and quoted prices leave out delivery unless noted. None of the units were inspected by us, so confirm the build date, condition and delivered price on your order.

Frequently asked questions

What does one-trip mean for a shipping container?

A one-trip container was built overseas and used for a single cargo shipment to the UK before being sold. It's in near-new condition, though it may show light handling marks.

How old is a new shipping container?

It varies. Some suppliers say their new units are typically under 12 months old, while others list build dates several years back. Ask for the manufacture date before you buy.

How much does a new 20ft container cost in the UK?

Published prices start from around £1,850 to £1,950 ex VAT for a standard new 20ft, before delivery. Specialist versions such as side-opening units cost more.

Do new containers come with a warranty?

Some do. Cleveland Containers offers up to 60 months' structural warranty on new 20ft units, while other suppliers set terms on the quote. Get the warranty in writing.

Our pick

If you want a new container with clear prices, ISO certification and the option to paint, fit out or convert it before delivery, Universal Containers is the place to start. If the lowest published price or the longest written warranty matters most, compare Portable Space and Cleveland. Either way, ask for the build date. "New" doesn't tell you how old.

By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Universal Containers