First, let’s get straight about the realities of empty shipping containers.

Empty shipping containers are the “yang” to the arrival of laden shipping containers  - the “yin” of shipping containers if you will accept my comparison. Reality: You need a steady supply of empty shipping containers to make containerized shipping work on a global basis. 

Empty Container Myth #1: There is a common but flawed assumption that empty shipping containers spend lots of time sitting at terminals, depots and distribution centers. Nope. There are significant financial incentives (and penalties) for shippers and container fleet operators to get empty containers back to where there is demand as quickly as possible.

Empty Container Myth #2:…

http://www.quora.com/Intermodal-Cargo-Containers/What-would-be-innovative-creative-uses-for-shipping-containers