Shipping containers for Melbourne

Melbourne is home to Australia's busiest container port, and the logistics belt around it, stretching west to Truganina and Laverton and south-east to Dandenong, runs on containers. For our Melbourne customers the question is rarely whether a container will do the job. It is which size, which grade and where it will sit.

Industrial and logistics storage

The western suburbs, from Brooklyn and Altona North through Laverton North, Derrimut and Truganina, and the northern and south-eastern industrial areas at Campbellfield, Somerton, Dandenong South and Keysborough are full of warehouses, transport depots, manufacturers and trades. Businesses there use containers for overflow stock, parts and consumables, packaging, archive storage and secure tool stores. Industrial yards generally have hardstand and wide gates, so 40ft units and sidelifter deliveries are straightforward.

Where several containers are going onto one site, layout matters: rows with forklift access, pairs with a roof between them, or stacks. Our stacking guide covers the ground and locking requirements before one container goes on top of another.

Renovations and households

Melbourne has a huge stock of Victorian and Edwardian terraces, weatherboards and interwar homes being extended and renovated, from Brunswick and Northcote to Footscray and Hawthorn. Renovators use containers to hold furniture and belongings on site while work goes on, and builders use them as site lockups.

Inner suburbs bring access challenges. Narrow streets, laneways, tram lines, overhead cables and on-street parking can all affect whether a tilt-tray can place a container on the property. If the container has to sit on the road or nature strip, that is a local council permit matter, and each of Melbourne's metropolitan councils has its own rules. Check with yours before booking.

Four seasons and condensation

Melbourne's weather can swing a long way within a day, and winter brings cold, damp nights. Inside a steel container that means condensation: moisture in the air inside settles on the cold roof and walls overnight and can drip onto stored goods. It happens in cargo-worthy and new containers alike and is not a leak.

Store things dry and off the floor on pallets, leave space for air to move, and use vents or moisture absorbers for long-term storage of furniture, clothing and paper. Set the container on firm, level ground with pads or sleepers under each corner, especially on the reactive clay soils found across much of the city.

Where Melbourne containers come from

Melbourne orders are sourced from the nearest depot holding the right unit, which keeps freight sensible. Tell us the size, grade and address and we will find a suitable container, check its condition and quote it with delivery as one price. Photos of the actual unit are available on request before delivery.

Sizes that suit Melbourne jobs

• 20ft — renovation storage, household moves and builders' lockups
• 40ft — warehouse overflow and industrial storage
• 10ft — tight inner-city blocks and townhouses
• High cube — racking, workshops and conversions
• Side-opening — stock that needs full-length forklift access
• Dangerous goods — oils, paints, solvents and chemicals for workshops

Preparing an inner-city delivery

Inner Melbourne deliveries are the ones that benefit most from planning. Measure the space: a 20ft container is about 6.1 metres long and 2.4 metres wide, with room needed in front to open the doors. Look up for tram wires, power lines, balconies and tree canopies, and look down for kerbs, crossovers and anything that might not take the weight of a loaded truck.

Parking is often the deciding factor. The truck needs to stand clear of traffic while it unloads, which may mean arranging temporary parking restrictions through council. If the property has rear lane access, check its width and whether a truck can turn in. Photos of the front, the lane and the spot help us choose between a tilt-tray and a crane truck, and tell us if a 10ft would be the smarter choice.

For businesses, tell us about loading dock hours, gate times and any site rules.

Hire or buy

A renovation or a move with an end date usually suits hire. A business that will always need the extra space usually does better buying, since a well-bought container holds its resale value. We quote both ways if you are not sure. The delivery day depends on where the right unit is held and is confirmed with you once the order is placed.

Around Melbourne: places we deliver

Footscray · Brooklyn · Altona · Laverton North · Derrimut · Truganina · Tarneit · Sunshine · Tullamarine · Campbellfield · Thomastown · Epping · Preston · Brunswick · Dandenong · Dandenong South · Keysborough · Clayton · Moorabbin · Braeside. Not on the list? Ring and ask — it's likely covered.