Ready to make the smart choice?
SmartShelters leads the way in shipping container mounted shelters—designed and built in New Zealand, for New Zealand conditions. We’re the only container shelter company with genuine full NZ certification, offering proven quality and compliance you can trust.
If you need a durable workshop, service bay, covered space for teams, or secure equipment storage solution, our dome shelters are built to last and fast to install. Choose from a range of sizes, with add-ons like end walls, doors, and custom signwriting to suit your site.
We don't import cheap alternatives—our container domes are built tough and backed by long-term support. That’s why SmartShelters remains the trusted choice for Kiwi businesses seeking long-term reliable protection and proven performance.
A container-mounted shelter is a versatile structure that combines a durable fabric canopy with standard shipping containers as its base. The containers act as strong, stable anchor points, while the domed shelter spans across the top, creating a covered space that’s protected from the elements.
Popular for industrial and construction sites, container canopies offer a smart way to create extra storage, covered work areas, or temporary facilities, without the need for traditional building foundations.
Installation is fast and efficient, and the modular design allows you to scale your container cover or relocate it as your needs change. It’s a practical, adaptable solution that makes the most of your site and your budget..
Bulk product storage
Manufacturing
Temporary workshops
Construction sites
Ports
Mining/Quarrying
Logistics
Loading bays
Get your superior-quality container canopy pronto. Ready for dispatch to your site, one week after ordering. Just because you have a need for speed or there’s a challenging deadline breathing down your neck, there’s no need to compromise on quality. When your container shelter arrives on schedule, you'll appreciate the difference our seamless process makes.
SmartShelters’ dome shelters are built right here in Aotearoa — not mass-imported from overseas like many lookalikes. Every heavy-duty container shelter is engineered by Kiwis, for Kiwi conditions, with full NZ certification and compliance for peace of mind when it matters most.
From brutal UV exposure to very high wind zones, heavy rain, and snow, our container domes are designed to withstand New Zealand’s harshest environments. The SmartShield® cover offers long-lasting durability with built-in insulation that keeps interiors cooler in summer and drier in winter — typically delivering 15 to 20 years of reliable protection.
We use premium galvanised steel framing that can be wind-rated for your site. And if you ever need repairs or upgrades, we’re here for the long haul with fast, local support. Whether you’re storing equipment, protecting valuable assets, or creating a covered space for your team to work comfortably year-round, our container domes deliver heavy-duty protection, flexibility, and value.
n Massive size range: From 6m to 45m wide, in any length you need. Modular design makes it easy to extend your shelter as your operation grows.
● Super-strong framework: All shelters utilise extra-heavy-duty C450-grade galvanised steel for uncompromising strength.
● Built to last: Our PVC-free Canadian-made ripstop polyethylene covers are engineered for NZ conditions — resisting UV, wind, rain, and snow.
● Portable and reusable: Dismantle and move to a new site with ease — ideal for temporary or evolving projects.
● Customised to your exact requirements: From open-ended drive-through bays to fully enclosed workshops — add walls, doors, guttering, or colour options.
● Fully compliant: All dome shelters meet NZ Building Code standards, and we can provide PS1 engineering documents to help with council consents.
● Proven experience: With over 100 years in the shelter industry, SmartShelters is NZ’s longest-running manufacturer — trusted by businesses nationwide.
Unique to SmartShelters, Twistlock mounting beams® are prefabricated mounting rails, ideal for ease of relocation.
The main arch mounting spigots and Twistlocks are welded on in our workshop, so all you need to do is sit the beam on top of the containers and lock it into position. This makes container dome installation simple, as well as the removal and relocation of your SmartShelter.
It is crucial that your container shelter is properly secured. To ensure you maintain your shelter's wind rating, you have 4 options for securing the containers:
At SmartShelters, customisation is standard. We offer the largest range of shipping container roofs in New Zealand, giving you the freedom to tailor every part of your dome shelter to suit your exact needs — from size and configuration to features and finishes.
Our modular container canopies are designed to adapt. Choose your span width (up to 45m), set your preferred height, and select the length you need — then add the extras that matter to your operation.
Available options include:
Whether you need heavy-duty farm storage, internal spaces for HR, workshop or logistics operations, or a fully enclosed, lockable structure for high-value assets — we’ll design a shelter that fits your site, budget, and business goals.
Extra high-grade galvanized steel framing, with the ability to be wind-rated to your specific site conditions, our Container Shelters are designed to withstand the worst weather.
For added protection against the elements, our innovative guttering and liner system carries water away from the shelter roof and containers so the interior stays bone dry.
The SmartShield ripstop polyethylene cover is specifically engineered for southern UV extremities. It’s long-lasting, and usually providing protection for at least 15-20 years before it neds replacing.
Our SmartShield covers unique insulating properties keep the interior cooler in summer and protected from extreme cold and wet weather in winter. There is no compromise on materials.
CONTAINER MOUNTED SHELTERS WITH END WALLS & ROLLER DOORS
"It’s such an easy storage to use. The quality and the service that we have received has been brilliant."
CONTAINER MOUNTED SHELTERS WITH END WALLS
"Our customers and colleagues and team on site are amazed at these huge shelters creating our state-of-the-art workshops."
CONTAINER MOUNTED SHELTER WITH END WALLS & ROLLER DOOR
"A SmartShelter was a quick and easy solution to our problem."
Browse our high-quality container shelters for sale or lease. Leasing container domes in New Zealand reduces your upfront costs and spreads the overall cost, which is better for your cash flow.
SmartShelters is the only dome shelter company that offers leasing. We stand by our products' ability to last the distance, providing durable protection, delivered with confidence.
We can offer shelter leasing options with a minimum period of 12 months. Our team offers local knowledge, personalised support, and the reliable shelter solutions your business can count on — talk to us today..
Standard and custom spans are available from 6m - 45m in width.
The shelter roof can be mounted to the outer or inner edge of containers. Mounting to the inner edge is most common to maximise the covered ground space available.
The length is typically in increments of shipping containers (6.1m). But custom lengths are available, allowing for a gap between the containers lengthwise.
Containers can be stacked to achieve extra height; we have stacked up to 6 containers high in the past. Custom arch heights are also available on request.
HC: High Cube Containers (2.9m high)GP: General Purpose Containers (2.6m high)
We offer a wide range of wall and door options to choose from if you wish to enclose the space. Take a look at our Walls & Doors pages.
1. Order Confirmation signed and design deposit paid
2. SmartShelters’ engineering team can provide the engineered design and a PS1. This typically takes two to three weeks and is required if you need a building consent.
3. SmartShelters' shelter manufacturing process can take anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks, depending on customisation. For our QuickSmart® shelters, the turnaround time is one week.
4. SmartShelters’ projects team will work with you to determine what preparations are required before we book in the installation.
5. Following manufacturing, SmartShelters delivers the shelter to your site. We can also provide a professional installation by certified professionals.
6. Enjoy your new SmartShelter!
If you need a shelter for site work, storage, machinery servicing, equipment maintenance or general storage, you’ll be looking for a structure that you can erect quickly, that performs well, that’s cost effective, and that you can rely on for the long term. And SmartShelters container shelters tick every one of those boxes.
SmartShelters will handle the initial delivery and provide professional installation anywhere in New Zealand. If you want to relocate your shelter after, you can disassemble and store it inside the containers. We also assist with relocations. Please contact us to discuss.
Our quality container shelters are a cost-effective solution for businesses that require flexible, portable storage or workspaces. These dome shelters are built for tough conditions, effectively shielding your space or equipment from wind and rain. We can even offer personalisation options, including doors, walls, signwriting, and more, so that you can get the perfect container canopy tailored to your needs. SmartShelters' dome shelters are used across New Zealand in the farming, mining, and construction industries.
The cost of a container shelter varies greatly depending on its specifications; we make custom container domes from 6m to 45m in width and any length. We also offer various add-ons, including doors, walls, and signwriting.
As the only shelter company with full NZ certification and compliance, our shelters are designed for quality over cost. We use C450-grade Durasteel and the exclusively developed SmartShield® to ensure your container shelter lasts longer than a couple of years. In fact, we offer the longest warranty on the market. We’ve even developed mounting and guttering systems unique to SmartShelters, meaning you’ll get innovative craftsmanship you can’t find elsewhere.
Discover the quality and care that go into our container domes. Contact us for a quote today.
Yes, we sell containers with our container canopies. Contact our friendly team to discuss pricing and options.
SmartShelters container covers come in various forms, ranging from small and simple to large, permanent solutions. Not sure if you need building consent to install container awnings on your property?
Generally speaking, gaining building consent is the rule rather than the exception, so it’s wise to assume you might. However, exemptions may apply to smaller, simpler applications, including:
Installing a small roof between shipping containers is a popular option and can be used for general storage and creating covered spaces for your teams. In contrast, large container roof shelters can safely store tractors, farm equipment, or industrial machinery. Check your local council or government legislation for peace of mind.
All SmartShelters’ multi-purpose shelters are made in New Zealand— and as such, we’ve designed them to withstand the country’s tough conditions, such as snowy, rainy and very high wind zones. The SmartShelters manufacturing plant is located in Wiri, Auckland.
Every SmartShelters container shelter comes with a 12-year warranty for the container cover and frame against product faults. It’s the longest warranty period on the market, so you can trust that these shelters have the durability and quality to last.
A container shelter cover usually refers to a roof between two shipping containers or a structure that utilises the shipping containers as side walls. Container roofing can simply refer to the Corten steel material used in the construction of shipping containers.
The SmartShelters' engineered design typically has significant weight-bearing capacity. The exact weight varies depending on span, but many SmartShelters owners have suspended plant and equipment from the main arch framework of the container cover between their shipping containers.
At SmartShelters, we like to keep things as easy as possible. For our container-mounted shelters, simply ensure that your site is level and compacted. To hold the containers in place, you can use either ballast in the containers, concrete footings, or a combination of the two methods, whichever works best for you.
Certainly! If you choose to secure your shipping container shelter with ballast, some space within the container will be occupied. However, apart from that, your containers will continue to function as containers and can be a handy and durable solution for storing tools, products, and site materials.
You can also use the containers as a workshop, garage, or a lockable storage space for dangerous goods. Choosing to fix your containers in place with concrete footings rather than ballast will maximise the available space inside and create a permanent solution offering reliable protection for your equipment.
Container mounting is not necessarily better than ground mounting; it’s just different. Container mounting is suitable for situations that require greater clearance, as the domed design of our structures limits clearance on the sides and encroaches on floor space when mounted directly on the ground.
The other major benefit of container mounting versus ground mounting is that the ground will remain undisturbed (when ballast is utilised). Rather than having to dig into the earth to secure your container shelter, you can place the container in the desired location and simply weigh it down with ballast. This makes installation far easier (and less damaging), particularly when erecting a structure on a hard surface.
Shipping containers are tall, durable, and sturdy structures that are easily movable and readily available. In short, they’re perfect for a SmartShelters canopy! Shipping containers offer the perfect clearance for most applications (although they can also be stacked if more height is needed) and often don’t require permanent footings to remain stable.
While we offer other shelter mounting options at SmartShelters, including ground, pole, and concrete block, shipping containers are our most popular mounting option for all the reasons listed above.
Yes! SmartShelters' dome shelters are designed for portability, which also makes it a smarter long-term investment, as it can be reused across multiple projects.. Our unique Twistlock mounting beams® negate the need for welding, making installation quick and easy.
Our durable, multi-purpose shelters are designed for commercial clients and are used for business and commercial purposes, most often on mining and industrial sites, rural farms, or as temporary storage for roadworking crews.
We don’t typically supply container-mounted shelters to private buyers for personal use, such as carports or boat shelters, because our SmartShelters range offers better-suited shelters for these applications.
The smallest container-mounted shelter in the SmartShelters range is 6 metres long (the length of a standard 20-foot shipping container) with a 6-metre span. Our largest container shelter in NZ is 45 metres long. Container canopies can be at any length; typically in multiples of 6m to align with the shipping containers that serve as the supports.
Protect what matters with New Zealand-made shelters built on 100 years of trusted expertise. Contact us today!
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