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Urban vertical farming has emerged as an innovative solution – by growing crops in stacked layers within highly controlled environments, these systems use less land, water, and pesticides – with shipping containers offering a sustainable, space-efficient answer to the global food crisis.
Eddie Rees, Conversions Manager at Cleveland Containers, a leading supplier of containers for businesses across multiple sectors, says:“ Repurposed shipping containers are rewriting the rules of farming. Their durability and modular design make them ideal for urban vertical farms, enabling sustainable, year-round fresh produce in urban settings while optimizing limited space – scaling up or down, based on demand. Unlike traditional greenhouses, container farms are also highly insulated and can be outfitted with vertical racks, LED lighting, and climate-control systems.”
In this piece, we’ ll look at how shipping containers are shaping urban vertical farming, and with real-world examples, we’ ll also look at how they integrate with, and benefit, city infrastructure.
Rethinking urban farming with shipping containers
The concept of turning shipping containers into farms may seem futuristic, but it’ s happening today in cities like New York, Tokyo, and London. Freight Farms, for example, has developed container-based farms capable of producing leafy greens and herbs year-round, regardless of weather conditions. These farms rely on hydroponic systems, which use 90 percent less water than traditional methods, making them especially appealing in regions facing water scarcity.
Rees says:“ A single 40-foot container can produce as much food as an acre of traditional farmland, and a massive advantage of container farms is their scalability. In urban areas, where space is at a premium, shipping containers fit seamlessly. And you can start small with one unit and expand as demand grows. They’ re an efficient, scalable way to bring fresh produce closer to the people who need it.”
Finding space in the cities
Cities consume the majority of the world’ s food but rarely produce it. This disconnect leads to long supply chains, wasted food during transit, and a heavy carbon footprint. Shipping container farms are changing that dynamic by utilizing overlooked urban spaces.
Take, for example, an unused parking lot in London or an abandoned industrial site in Tokyo. These spaces can house container farms, producing fresh food right where it’ s consumed. Companies like Square Roots in New York are stacking containers in repurposed warehouses, turning underutilized real estate into thriving agricultural hubs.
“ In cities, space is a luxury,” adds Rees.“ Shipping containers make the most of what’ s available. You don’ t need vast fields – just a bit of creativity and a vision for the future.”
Integration with urban infrastructure
Data from the United Nations highlights that one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, amounting to one billion meals a day, much of it due to spoilage during transit. Container farms, located within city limits, address this problem directly.
They don’ t just fit into urban spaces; they actively enhance city infrastructure.
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