Cost of using collapsible containers in European ports

Why are foldable containers so expensive?

In the short term, the use of foldable containers is expensive because of the high costs involved in production and the operational costs of foldable containers compared with standard containers. This confirms the claim that the initial market price and the costs of folding and unfolding foldable containers are quite high (Konings and Thijs, 2001).

Should a port use foldable containers?

Using primary and secondary data sources the pros and cons of using foldable containers as compared to standard containers are identified, and it is shown that a port can gain cost efficiencies by using foldable containers.

Do foldable Containers save shipping costs?

Konings and Thijs (2001) argue that, on shipping routes with permanent trade imbalances, the use of foldable containers can save transport, transhipment and storage costs as shipping lines responsible for repositioning their empty containers currently bear the cost of repositioning.

How much does it cost to reposition an intermodal shipping container?

The intermodal shipping container is 70 years old. Over the years it has been refined but ownership costs have increased. For example, this year, the annual operating prices have ranged between $25,000 to $40,000 to reposition an empty container.