WWT, cargo worthy, used, new, one-trip: the labels look interchangeable, but they describe meaningfully different units. Here is what each grade actually means and how to pick for your Alabama use case.
You can spend the same dollar on a unit that lasts 10 years or a unit that lasts 30 years. The variable is the condition grade. Grade also determines whether you can convert the unit, whether you can park valuable equipment inside without worry, and whether the visible cosmetics matter for your application.
The grade hierarchy below runs from most worn to most pristine. Containers are supplied and delivered by Container One, dispatched from the Tennessee depot for north Alabama, the Atlanta depot for central and east Alabama, and the New Orleans depot for Mobile and the coast.
The lowest grade we sell. A used container that has been retired from active shipping but has not been certified to a specific standard. Expect:
Best for: Rough storage on a working farm or jobsite, where appearance is not a factor and the unit will be locked and forgotten. Not recommended for storage of valuable, rust-sensitive, or moisture-sensitive contents without ventilation upgrades.
Photos to expect: Visible rust streaks, chipped paint, repaired patches. Doors close and seal but show wear. The unit is unmistakably second-hand.
The most common grade in our inventory and the default choice for most buyers. WWT means the container has been inspected and certified to keep wind and water out. Specifically:
WWT is not the same as cargo worthy. WWT confirms the container will keep your contents dry. Cargo worthy adds the structural certification needed for international ocean shipping.
Best for: General storage, contractor jobsite tools, farm equipment, household goods during a renovation, on-site materials during construction. It is the dominant pick across the Birmingham metro area.
Photos to expect: External panels show some surface rust and cosmetic wear, but doors close cleanly, seals look intact, and the interior is dry. The unit looks used but functional.
Cargo worthy is a structural certification, not just a cosmetic grade. A CW container has been inspected to the IICL (Institute of International Container Lessors) standard and certified safe for international ocean shipping. That means:
For storage purposes, CW is functionally similar to WWT, with one practical difference: CW units tend to look slightly better, because the structural inspection is more demanding. Pricing sits between WWT and one-trip.
Best for: Buyers who plan to ship the container internationally at any point, buyers who want a documented certification for resale or insurance purposes, buyers who want better cosmetics than WWT without paying for one-trip.
Photos to expect: Cleaner overall appearance than WWT, with visible age but a more uniform exterior. Documentation accompanies the unit.
A one-trip container has made a single ocean voyage, typically loaded from a manufacturing facility in Asia to a North American port. After unloading, the unit goes into the resale market essentially brand new. Specifically:
The premium over WWT is meaningful but not enormous. For any conversion project, any food-adjacent storage, any high-visibility placement, or any clean-finish workshop or office build, one-trip is the practical starting point.
Best for: Conversion projects (offices, workshops, tap rooms, tiny homes), food-adjacent or sensitive storage, customer-facing placement, anyone who wants the cleanest container short of factory-new.
Photos to expect: Factory paint, sharp graphics, clean interior. Looks like a new container with light handling marks.
A factory-new container that has never carried cargo. Sold direct from the manufacturer without an ocean voyage. The premium over one-trip is significant and rarely justified for storage uses.
Best for: Buyers who require new-condition certification for compliance, museum or display use, certain government or institutional applications. Most private buyers in Alabama should not pay this premium.
Grade sets the warranty, and the warranty is the same everywhere in our network:
| Grade | Warranty |
|---|---|
| One-Trip | 10 year structural and no-leak |
| Cargo Worthy | 5 year |
| Wind and Water Tight | 5 year |
| Economy | 1 year, no roof leak only |
Refrigerated units are sold inspected and tested, with any service history we hold, and carry no separate refrigeration warranty.
The Institute of International Container Lessors maintains the inspection standard used to certify cargo worthy containers. IICL inspectors check structural members, weatherproofing, door function, and floor integrity against a published criteria set. Most certifications you will see in Alabama are IICL-5 or IICL-6.
You do not need to memorize the standard. The practical takeaway: a container sold as cargo worthy has been inspected by an IICL-trained inspector and meets a documented criteria set. A container sold as WWT has been inspected to a less demanding standard, focused on weatherproofing rather than structural certification.
The match between use case and grade:
| Use Case | Recommended Grade |
|---|---|
| Construction jobsite tools and materials | WWT |
| Farm or ranch equipment storage | Used or WWT |
| Household goods during renovation | WWT |
| Office, workshop, tap-room conversion | One-trip |
| Tiny home or container home build | One-trip or new |
| Long-term acreage storage | WWT |
| Insurance-grade documentation needed | Cargo worthy |
| Customer-facing placement (retail, hospitality) | One-trip |
Whatever grade you select, the visual checklist is the same:
We inspect every unit before delivery. If anything fails the checklist, we replace it before dispatch. You can request photos of your specific unit before it ships if cosmetics matter.
Grade does not affect delivery timing much, though one-trip and cargo worthy units are sometimes constrained by inbound supply from the serving depot. Across Alabama:
Tell us your Alabama ZIP and what you need. We will send back an all-in price including delivery to your address.