Colliding with a 20 sq ft container floating just 18 inches above the water surface isn't something that happens every day, yet is possesses great danger for blue water sailors.

Facts & Figures: Shipping Container Accidents

Despite the fact that about 99% of the vessel transported containers make it to their final destination, an approximate of 1% each year slides down the board and starts its own journey crossing the deep blue ocean water. It may seem like an insignificant omission, yet there are over 160 million storage containers crossing the sea every 12 months, which means over 1 million containers being dropped offshore during a sea storm or because of an accident. And while transported good containers have insurance, the world maritime organizations and shipping companies have little or no obligations at all whether or not they need to report the lost containers or close their eyes when an accident occurs.

The Cause: Re urposed Container Homes

Despite the government's weak control over shipping containers, innovative thinkers have found a way to reduce Earth's carbon footprint, by putting those left-behind, time-damaged containers to use. After the big wave of log cabins have conquered the world real estate market, many designers have turned their attention to creatively incorporate reused materials in the creation of comfort-size homes. Suffocated by the ever-developing urbanism of metropolitan areas, nature can be barely seen hoping for a ray of sunlight somewhere between the cracks of a central pavement. The need of a sophisticated real estate market which offers Eco home solutions entangled with its surrounding nature had lead to an even grandiose project putting old prefab containers into use.

Maintenance of Prefabricated Container Houses

Jumping into the world of eccentric architecture does have its benefits in terms of interior and exterior appearance of the future project, yet maintenance is a whole new chapter of the book of modern building. Being a main transportation source for various types of good including hazardous ones, shipping container use resembles a challenging perspective for better living. Old prefab containers may have been previously used as refined oil products, for example, making cleaning a true hell. Yet, many of the widely spread used containers on the world market are nothing short of a time bomb. Potential shipping container goods and previous uses:

• Transporting bulk carried goods such as grain or wheat.
• Carrying non-bulk good such as machines or components.
• Toxic flammable and non-flammable substances.
• Easily spoiled food.
• and many more.

While radioactive material is certainly out of the topic, as mild radiation could stay around the shipping vessel for years, specific dangerous goods such as flammable gases as well as oxidizing and corroding substances may be a ticking explosive in a newly built dwelling. If being thoroughly cleaned by following specific protocols, such containers may be easily shifted into a pretentious abode.

Container Cleaning and Quality Standards

Yet, specialists warn it is not a one-man job and certainly not a job for a non-professional. When dealing with hazardous substances, following quality standards is of prime importance. Larger cities in Australia offer a wide variety of certified residential cleaning teams which can guarantee 100% safe and disinfected work environment for further renovation processes, building and living. Needless to say, a not well-disinfected container may cause havoc in the later developed dwelling. It may put the health of its owner at risk, because of unwanted air pollution indoors or simply cause corrosion and damage the structure.

But, with the required care and maintenance, reused container homes resemble one of the best Eco residential solutions in years. By offering quality insulation and a strong base structure, storage containers provide an easily modifiable base for the creation of futuristic looking abodes.