ContainGo Blog

Moving Shipping Containers Made Easy with ContainGo!

chris@containgo.com (Chris Sons) — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 19:01:36 GMT

Our Innovative No-Tool Solutions Are Changing the Game for Shipping Container Moving

When it comes to moving shipping containers, facing the challenge without the right tools can be risky and inefficient. ContainGo is revolutionizing this process, making it safer and more straightforward.

Moving shipping containers poses a risk to drivers who need to pickup and deliver containers, especially those who try to do so without the right tools and equipment.

Not to mention that these operators often work alone, and the process of loading or unloading a container can be very time consuming.

Unfortunately most shipping container relocation products require a plethora of tools and attachments to do the job.

In some cases, these tools actually add to the risk and safety factor (especially those cheap products you find on Amazon), but they also require more time and effort to set up.

Innovative Solutions for Moving Shipping Containers in Disaster Relief Efforts

ContainGo got its start in the field. Our founders made their fortunes in the heavy construction industry. As they got older, they wanted to help people in need.

Having retired to Florida, Alan R. Stahl volunteered in the recovery efforts after hurricanes and and other major storms. Marshall Crosby eventually joined him, and the two invented the first ContainGo Mobiliz er Trailer .

During those recovery efforts, they saw a lot of risky maneuvers and inefficiencies related to shipping containers in disaster relief efforts .

From specialized tools and overly complicated rigging, to dragging containers across parking lots and tearing up the pavement.

They saw an opportunity to work smarter, not harder.

This type of thinking led to the design of our incredible line of shipping container trailers, tools and accessories .

Innovative Tools for Moving Shipping Containers.

I’m Christopher Sons, General Manager of ContainGo. In this article, I’m going to tell you about three of our most popular products:

All three of these specialized shipping container moving and modification products attach and detach by hand.

Sounds crazy, right?

Keep reading to learn more about moving shipping containers.

Moving Shipping Containers On-site: The Key Challenge

Think about this, “Each year more than 11 million containers arrive at our sea ports. At land borders another 11 million arrive by truck and 2.7 million by railroad” source .

That’s a lot of shipping containers.

At ports of entry, these shipping containers are easily moved by specialized equipment:

Ship-to-shore Cranes: These are large cranes used for loading and unloading containers from ships. They can move along a rail system for flexible positioning.
Mobile Harbor Cranes: These cranes can handle both container and bulk cargo. Their mobility allows for efficient handling of varying loading requirements.
Container Straddle Carriers: These move containers from one location to another within the port, and can also load and unload ships, trucks, and trains.
Gantry Cranes (RTG or RMGs): RTGs move on rubber wheels and RMGs operate on fixed rails. Both can stack and organize containers within the yard.
Stackers: These vehicles can be of the spreader type (gripping the container from the top) or the blade type (handling the container using holes in the bottom).
Reach Stackers: Designed to move and stack containers, they are utilized in both loading and unloading container ships as well as moving containers in storage facilities.
Forklifts: Although not as common as cranes for handling containers at ports, forklifts can lift containers onto and off of trucks or trains.

However, once the containers are loaded onto trucks/trailers, heading to their final destination, the methods for off-loading the containers can vary widely.

Cranes: If you have one, a crane can easily lift containers off a truck, but this method can be somewhat slow, and isn’t without risk.
Forklifts: Probably more common on job sites, forklifts can unload shipping containers from trailers. They require careful operation to avoid stability issues.
Container Straddle Carriers and Reach Stackers: You might find these in warehouse settings, but these are more common in ports.
Roll-On/Roll-Off (RORO) Method: This method requires a trailer with a winch and roll bed. It is faster than using a crane and less likely to damage the container.
Mobile Yard Ramps: These ramps allow for a forklift to move from the ground up to and inside the shipping container while it remains on the chassis. The trailer must remain in place while everything is unloaded.
Self-Offloading Trailers: For example, the ContainGo Mobilizer Trailer is a specialized shipping container trailer capable of loading and unloading containers without specialized equipment. It features a winch, Strong Arm, and trolley system to safely load/unload containers in about 10 minutes or less

All of this is great, but what about after delivery, when you need to move a shipping container on-site.

At ContainGo, we have simplified and expedited the process of moving and relocating shipping containers. We also haver created a unique tool that allows you to easily extend or modify your containers.

“The Tank” Shipping Container Relocation Kit

Here is a question: How can a solo operator move a fully loaded shipping container single handedly?

The Tank is our answer! In fact, it’s the only answer.

Combined with a standard forklift, ContainGo’s Container Relocation Kit allows you to quickly move shipping containers on site.

Each Shipping Container Relocation Kit includes:

1x ContainGo Forklift Adaptor (affectionately known as “The Tank”)
2x ContainGo End Wheels
4x ContainGo Attachment Pins
1x ContainGo Lift Hub (with Lift Strap and integrated ball)

Once attached, the kit allows you to lift one end of the container with a forklift using The Tank and Lift Hub while rolling the container on our End Wheels, which are attached at the opposite end. Both the LIft Hub and End Wheels attach using our Attachment Pins.

Unlike dolly systems that require using a shipping container jack to lift the container off the ground to install shipping container wheel kits or swivel casters, ContainGo’s wheels mount directly on the end of the container while it sits safely on the ground.

The Shipping Container Relocation Kit is super easy to use.

The attachment pins and wheels attach by hand, without any specialized tools.

The Lift Strap is also attached with two of our attachment pins, and once in place, a forklift can easily lift and maneuver the container.

It’s simple and easy to use, no additional tools or equipment are needed.

It’s also quick, our patented components attach in minutes, usually in under three minutes.

It’s also safer, no dragging container across the ground, no shoddy, sub-par tools from Amazon. Everything is made in the USA, right here in Loretto, Tennessee.

The ContainGo Shipping Container Relocation Kit is recommended for:

Contractors & Developers with shipping containers on job sites
Manufacturers and Distributors that handle or store their own shipping containers
Brands and Companies that use shipping containers for entertainment and pop-up store venues
Portable Storage Rental Companies

ContainGo EndWheels

Here is a question: How do you move shipping containers without damaging asphalt or turf?

ContainGo End Wheels are our answer.

These shipping container wheels make moving containers quick, simple, and safe.

They install in seconds, by hand, no tools needed.

ContainGo End Wheels are designed to move empty or lightly loaded shipping containers on smooth, hard surfaces.

Our shipping container wheels provide container transporters an efficient way to pick up and drop off containers with limited damage to the container or the ground surface.

Unlike castor wheels that require lifting the container off the ground to install, our wheels for shipping containers mount directly on the end of the container while it sits safely on the ground.

Installation takes about one minute and allows your container to be moved by using a light-duty forklift.

The ContainGo shipping container End Wheels allow for a smoother, gentler and quieter process.

Instead of dragging a container off or onto a truck or trailer bed, ContainGo End Wheels allow you to roll the back edge of the container into position with ease and precision.

ContainGo End Wheels are recommended for:

Relocating or transporting shipping containers on-site
Reloacting shipping containers in or around warehouses or other facilities
Moving containers around construction and industrial work sites
Using two sets of End Wheels (one at either end) to roll a container in a straight line for assembly line production

ContainGo Container Attachment Pins

Final question, how do you easily attach accessories like lights, speakers, connecting walls, and other items to shipping containers?

Mind Blowing I know, but we have an answer!

The ContainGo® Shipping Container Attachment Pins allow you to quickly and easily attach tools, equipment, and accessories to a container.

These Attachment Pins fit in the standard ISO pockets found on all connex, intermodal and/or standard 20’ and 40’ shipping containers

They easily install by hand, without specialized tools, in less than a minute.

They are super simple made with quality materials, right here in Loretto, Tennessee.

ContainGo Attachment Pins allow you to attach countless items, including:

Awnings to provide overhead cover between shipping containers
Walls to organize and secure base camps, work stations, or pop-up stores
Gates & Fencing to secure areas and equipment
Surveillance Cameras
Electrical Panels
Leveling Jacks
Antennas
Speakers
Lights

The Attachment Pins will mount on 12 of the 24 ISO openings on standard shipping container corner castings.*

Recommended For:

Brands and Companies that use shipping containers for entertainment and pop-up store venues
Contractors & Developers with shipping containers on job sites
Public Safety, Military, and Emergency Response Units that need to use shipping containers is forward-operating theaters.

Our Mission is to Make Moving Shipping Containers Easy, Safe and Quick!

At ContainGo, we design and manufacture innovative shipping container trailers and accessories designed to help you move containers easily, safely, and quickly.

We believe in crafting the right tool for the job.

Are You Ready to Change the Game When Moving Shipping Containers?

We’re here to help. For effortless moving of shipping containers, discover ContainGo's innovative solutions today.

Contact or call us today to learn more about about our shipping container trailers and accessories.

*The pins do not attach to the following ISO openings on shipping containers: the upward facing ISO openings on the roof/top, the downward facing ISO openings on the base/ bottom, the shield shaped openings found on the corner castings.

How Shipping Containers Aid Disaster Relief Efforts

bryon@archmark.co (Bryon McCartney) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 21:30:34 GMT

How are shipping containers used in disaster relief efforts?

If you’re working with a disaster relief agency or charity, you’ll know how important shipping containers are to provide essential aid to victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, and other crisis situations—especially when there are water and electricity outages as a result.

But it’s not only standard shipping containers agencies use. Agencies are also deploying highly specialized (and expensive) containers to construct their base camps.

These custom shipping containers transform into sleeping quarters, cafeterias, command centers, mobile labs, refrigerated food storage, medical centers, mobile power generation units, and more. These units require a gentle loading/unloading process and precise placement.

But moving shipping containers around uneven, dangerous terrain, where there may be severe blockages and hazards presents a wide range of challenges for the disaster relief agency itself and the operators of shipping container relocation systems.

What if there was an easier, safer, and more effective way to pick up, load, and relocate standard and specialized shipping containers carrying vital supplies in harsh environments?

Keep reading to understand how ContainGo’s patented Mobilizer Trailer and Flat Rack can provide that life-saving solution.

The issues aid organizations face when disaster strikes

First, let’s establish exactly what kind of challenges you’re facing when moving shipping containers in harsh conditions:

Maximizing space by placing containers precisely
Navigating heavy machinery or heavy trucks on off-road uneven terrain
Offloading supplies quickly and safely
Not having a lot of forward clearance space
Not having large forklifts or cranes on site to load and unload containers
Not having access to non-owned trucks to mobilize containers

How ContainGo’s Mobilizer Trailer helps

The ContainGo® Mobilizer Trailer offers an ingenious shipping container relocation solution for disaster relief, emergency management, and response agencies and can be used by agencies that already have one-ton pickups in their fleets.

See how our groundbreaking technology helps below:

Shorter clearance

Typically, you need as much as 120 feet of forward clearance to load and unload a 20’ shipping container, presenting a huge challenge when maneuvering around areas of destruction, which often have obstacles from fallen trees/buildings.

Using an innovative side shift mechanism, lift arm, and trolley system, ContainGo’s Mobilizer Trailer can pick up and relocate shipping containers with as little as 25 feet of forward clearance—making it perfect for challenging disaster zones.

Precise placement

Whether you need containers to shelter victims, supply medical aid, or deploy essential supplies, with ContainGo, you can place everything you need in shipping containers within an inch of the target location.

The ability to place shipping containers closer together allows you to maximize the space you have, allowing for more supplies, aid, and equipment to be delivered—potentially saving more lives as a result!

Light machinery

Traditionally, you would need heavy-duty machinery, like a crane or heavy forklift to maneuver shipping containers around the disaster site.

But when you already have a lot of equipment taking up space, the last thing you want to do is try and navigate a massive piece of heavy machinery around the site.

But with ContainGo, you only need a one-ton pickup truck, making it much easier and faster to access disaster locations and help those in need. Many government agencies have one-ton trucks in their fleets.

How ContainGo’s Flat Rack helps

Our optional Flat Rack enables disaster relief agencies to easily load and offload equipment, materials, and life-saving supplies by gently lowering the rack down to the ground. Discover the benefits of our Flat Rack, when combined with our Mobilizer Trailer below:

Fast

It takes about 10 minutes to unload a loaded Flat Rack from the trailer to the ground.

The operator can load materials, equipment or supplies on the Flat Rack and deliver to the emergency site placing the flat rack and supplies just six inches off the ground for easy, safe access.

Then they can go to load another flat rack to deliver it to another area. In disaster situations, not having to hop on and off a trailer bed or wait for it to be unloaded before the driver can pick up another is far less time-consuming.

Safe

Our Flat Rack system is much safer for relief workers and other disaster aid personnel, as they can simply offload the rack while it’s sitting on the ground, rather than climb up on top of a trailer that’s lifted off the ground.

Flexible

ContainGo’s Flat Rack offers disaster agencies a higher degree of flexibility for supply drop-offs, collection points, and staging areas, taking up the same footprint as a 20’ shipping container.

The benefits of ContainGo for disaster relief

Deploy supplies to the site quicker
Easily access more tricky areas
Only need to source one operator
Make supplies easier to access
Place supplies closer together
Offer a safer container process

Want to improve your disaster relief efforts and save even more lives?

If you’re looking for a way to minimize risk, maximize time efficiency, and save more lives, ContainGo’s Mobilizer Trailer and Flat Rack are an ideal solution.

Used by emergency response organizations all across the USA, ContainGo’s shipping relocation technologies have secured over 13 patents in nine countries and are revolutionizing the way we help people in times of disaster.

To learn more about the ContainGo® Mobilizer Trailer and Flat Rack and how they can help your disaster relief organization, get in touch today!

Shipping Container Trailers Purpose-Built For Disaster Relief and Recovery

bryon@archmark.co (Bryon McCartney) — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:04:12 GMT

Why are shipping container trailers needed for disaster relief & recovery efforts?

When disaster strikes, relief agencies face a myriad of logistical issues that impact the speed and efficiency of their rescue operations.

With natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and floods, the priority is to deploy medical supplies and equipment to assist search and rescue efforts as soon as possible.

Natural disasters can obliterate electricity lines, water supply, and food resources, leaving emergency teams without the basic necessities they need to attend to victims.

Standard shipping containers and customized shipping containers such as BERG and units are an ideal solution to quickly and securely deploy essential supplies to emergency facilities.

They’re cheap, light, and can be placed in harsh environments to create temporary staging operation areas for volunteers, medical personnel, and people affected by the crisis.

Filled with power generators, communications equipment, clothing, food, medical kits, and other necessary supplies, shipping containers are key to supporting search and rescue efforts.

In this blog post, we’re going to discuss how ContainGo is solving one of the biggest challenges for disaster relief and emergency management and response agencies; reliably moving shipping containers from point A to point B in the midst of the chaos following a natural disaster.

Logistical challenges with shipping containers

An innovative shipping container trailer solution

Alan and Marshall realized the need to solve the issue of moving containers through their own experiences on disaster recovery sites. This is where the idea for the ContainGo Shipping Container trailer was born.

They realized that, by using smaller, heavy-duty pickup trucks fitted with agile and maneuverable trailers, they could more easily access challenging locations after a disaster, allowing for quicker response times, and eliminating delays while waiting on cranes, forklifts, and other heavy-duty equipment.

Their breakthrough is a trailer design which incorporates three key components: a lift arm lifting system, a Side Shift positioning system, and a Trolley glide system.

These three inventions allow an operator to load and unload shipping containers safely, securely, and precisely in situations where other solutions simply are not able to access or properly operate.

It has taken years of prototyping various designs, experimenting, fabricating, and problem-solving to come up with a solution that did what no other solution can do.

After 7 years of prototyping and field testing and an investment of 2 million dollars into research and development, ContainGo is now being deployed by emergency response services in Florida, as well as private clients throughout the USA.

How the ContainGo shipping container trailer benefits disaster relief

The mobilizer trailer and the optional Flat Rack have quickly become perfect solutions for mobilizing equipment and supplies to affected areas.
Maneuvering BERG and shipping containers around bends in the road, or backing vehicles into tight spots is easier and less time-consuming.
The need for expensive equipment to transport life-saving supplies and additional on-site personnel to clear space and operate the equipment is greatly reduced, in many cases, all you need is a single operator.
With ContainGo’s controlled on- and offloading technology, containers can be filled with delicate supplies without the risk of damage, and they can be precisely placed for ease of access or creating an operational base.

Since the groundbreaking system was first developed, ContainGo has secured over 20 patents and has been used to successfully deploy life-saving equipment and supplies to local and global relief efforts.

Learn more about the benefits of ContainGo for disaster relief. To learn more about ContainGo shipping container trailers for sale, get in touch today!

The origin story of ContainGo's revolutionary trailer

bryon@archmark.co (Bryon McCartney) — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 21:32:27 GMT

How did you come up with the ContainGo Mobilizer shipping container trailer?

The ContainGo shipping container trailer offers a truly revolutionary solution for transporting 20’ shipping containers, without the need for heavy equipment. So it’s not surprising that we get asked the same question all the time. “Wow, how did you come up with that?”

In this article, you’re going to learn all about the origins of ContainGo’s unique Mobilizer Trailer. What sparked the idea, how it came to be, and our journey to where we are today.

Where ContainGo began

The issue with shipping container transport

While shipping containers can play an important role in these situations, unfortunately, it’s often costly and logistically difficult to bring in the equipment needed to mobilize them in disaster scenarios. Alan and Marshall realized this was a critical issue, and knew that finding a solution could greatly impact emergency services teams, so they set out to find a solution.

Cranes, forklifts, and container handlers are ideal for moving containers in ideal conditions, but they are limited in their ability to move containers in tight spots, especially where debris and other impediments may exist.

So, Alan and Marshall got to work looking for a solution that offered greater flexibility in maneuverability, and accessibility when disaster strikes.

They also knew that their solution needed to work with available equipment. In this case, heavy-duty, 1-ton or better trucks.

Heavy duty pickup trucks are more robust for harsh environments, can be deployed quickly, and don’t require as much clearance space as other equipment.

Alan and Marshall started experimenting with different ideas and solutions to move shipping containers on and off the trailer smoothly and with precision positioning.

In disaster situations, emergency response and government agencies often deploy BERG™ Expandable Shelters . These expandable containers serve a vital role in emergency response situations.

They provide facilities for hygiene, food distribution, medical supplies, healthcare, logistics, and other needed services. However, these facilities often must be handled with care, and positioned precisely.

At first, solving this challenge was purely a passion project for the founders of ContainGo. Each new iteration and improvement of their prototype, gave them a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

They were simply trying to solve a problem that would help disaster aid teams better help the people affected by things like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, and wildfires.

Solving problem after problem

They kept working at it day after day in Marshall's 6,000 sq. ft. workshop looking for a way to load or unload containers at any angle. A key challenge for most container transport trailers is that they must have adequate forward clearance, and they must be positioned in straight alignment with the trailer bed.

In fact, traditional methods of moving containers require at least 120 ft. of forward clearance. In disaster situations, you can’t rely on perfect conditions, and Alan and Marshall knew that solving this issue would lead to a revolutionary product.

A key breakthrough was the lift arm and trolley systems, which significantly improved maneuverability. Essentially, these systems combine to eliminate the need for a forklift and other heavy equipment to place and position containers in unpredictable situations.

But their biggest ‘Aha’ moment came with the side shift mechanism, which allows the trailer to maneuver from side to side. This is what makes the ContainGo shipping container trailer so agile and precise.

With ContainGo, you only need around a 24 ft. space, and skilled operators can do it with even less. In tight spots or debris-laden roads, they can precisely position containers to within an inch of a target location.

On one occasion, after numerous attempts with other equipment, Alan and Marshall were cheered on by a group of about 50 onlookers as they repositioned a container from what seemed like an impossible spot, using the ContainGo trailer. Even those who had no idea about logistics could see the ingenuity behind their design.

Two great minds, one ingenious product

It isn’t just the side shift, lift arm, or trolley systems that were revolutionary, it is the combination of all 3 elements that is changing the game for transporting containers to where they need to be.

Whether it’s for the disaster relief sector, portable storage industry, shipping container delivery, or construction and heavy industries, ContainGo allows operators to accurately, quickly, safely, and securely deploy containers for a wide-range of needs, eliminating the need for additional machinery.

Alan and Marshall have worked extremely hard over the past 10 years. Over many cups of coffee, they sketched out idea after idea, continuously trying to solve the next big problem.

Without their dedication and commitment to assisting with disaster relief efforts, ContainGo wouldn’t exist.

There’s currently no other technology like ContainGo. It’s a one of a kind, patented product that solves a huge problem; getting supplies, shelter, and equipment to disaster zones.

From ‘how do we move these containers?’ to achieving the impossible, Alan and Marshall are true innovators, and to this day are finding new ways to build upon their original ideas to achieve even more.

Learn more about ContainGo here . To inquire about ContainGo shipping container trailers for sale, please get in touch today and we’d be happy to answer any of your questions.