It is common for 10' storage containers to be shipped from the factories as 20' units. This is for ease of transport since ocean handling of 10' containers is difficult. Two 10' (approximate length) units are welded together at the factory. End wall panels are shipped loose inside the 20' box. Doors are provided on both outboard ends, although one end is temporarily locked from the inside to prevent entry during initial shipment. In some cases these containers will ship from the factory in China to the U.S. carrying a one-way load. After the load is off-loaded, the container is then transported to a depot where it will be converted into 10' units for rental or sales as storage units. The following series of images shows the basic process for this conversion at a container depot. Special thanks to Charles Fox for the images.
Container arrives as a 20' unit with doors on
both ends.
End panels for the 10' conversion are stowed
along the inner walls for transport from the factory.
Close-up look at the temporary fixtures that
hold the new end panels inside the box for transport.
Temporary fixtures are bolted to one door
pair on the inside to prevent entry during initial transit.
The 10' units are cut apart with a torch.
The shipping attachments between the units are removed and
discarded.
Close-up of the end posts after cutting.
These areas will be ground smooth and painted. The new end
panels will be welded in place to close the 10' units.
After touch-up paint the units are ready to
be shipped to the customer as 10' storage modules.
All photos courtesy of Charles Fox.