I found this awesome Bob Villa video where he interviews David Cross from TAW ( Tampa Armature Works
).
They have an in depth conversation about shipping container construction.
The conversation starts off by discussing the 700,000 abandoned shipping containers in United States ports.
These containers are left behind due to the trade imbalance.
Why not use the abandoned shipping containers as building blocks for construction?
They do. He calls these structures Intermodal Steel Building Units (ISBU). They not only build homes out of these shipping containers but other structures with the use of I-beams and plasma torches to cut out sections of the container.
The use of the I-Beams allow the engineer a lot of flexibility in what they choose to build with these sturdy boxes.
He shows Bob something he calls the "Worlds Largest Toolbox," which they created for the military. They used the shipping container frame and added fold up awnings, fold down awnings, a roll up door, and a cargo handling system.
Do these shipping container steel structures get extremely hot?
He explains that supertherm ceramic insulative paint (you can google search this and find it online) can be used as an effective insulation paint to block out heat.
He mentions it is popular in other countries and has been gaining popularity in the United States.
What about structural integrity with the shipping container buildings?
David Cross does a great job explaining structural integrity at 2:27 in the video. It is worth the watch if you are planning on making any cut outs in your cargo container.
How much does a shipping container house cost?
David says their basic package for an ISBU Framed Skin of the House would be $45 a sq ft. This quote does not include the foundation or the truss.