Most reefer container suppliers in South Africa do not publish prices. We get it, the final number depends on five or six variables and a generic figure can mislead. But customers who are scoping a budget need an indicative starting point, and a transparent range is more useful than no number at all. So this page sets out indicative starting prices for the AquaCat Containers fleet, the things that affect the final figure, and what is included.
Every price below is indicative. The final quote depends on size, term, region, site access, power supply, and the add-ons you choose. Send us the basics, what you are storing, how cold, for how long, and where, and we come back with a real number, usually the same day.
Indicative monthly rental, refrigerated containers
3m reefer, from R6,500 per month. Suited to small butcheries, single-line bakery freezer stock, lab or vaccine cold, and short-term event cold. The smallest workable unit on the fleet.
6m reefer, from R9,500 per month. The most rented size in the fleet. Fits a regional butchery, a mid-sized seafood operator, an ice cream brand running peak-season overflow, or a pharmacy buffer cold.
12m reefer, from R14,500 per month. The workhorse for larger processors, dairy operators, retail buffer cold, and mining-camp catering. Holds significant pallet volume.
These are starting prices. Longer terms get sharper rates. Specialty configurations (blast freezer mode, high-end logging, custom racking) sit above the base figure.
Delivery and once-off costs
Local delivery (Ballito to Durban radius), from R3,500 once-off. Covers the road haul, on-site commissioning and the temperature verification before our team leaves.
National delivery, quoted on application. We deliver across South Africa from our Ballito yard. The figure depends on the destination, the route, and whether the unit needs a crane lift on arrival. We come back with the delivery quote when we quote the unit.
Collection at the end of the contract is generally a similar figure to delivery, planned at the time we agree the contract.
Add-ons that affect the price
Generator hire, from R2,000 per month. For sites without grid power or for backup during load shedding. Sized to the unit you are taking.
Telemetry and temperature logging, for HACCP, R638, GDP or audit-trail customers. Quoted based on the level of logging detail you need.
Service and maintenance level, basic service is included; extended response-time agreements (24-hour, 12-hour, 4-hour SLA) sit above base.
Custom internal fitout, racking, hanging-rail systems for butchery, cleanroom-grade flooring for pharma. Once-off cost on top of the rental.
What affects the final price
Size. 3m, 6m, 8m, 10m, 12m. Bigger units cost more per month but less per cubic metre.
Term. Month-to-month is at the top of the range. Six-month, twelve-month and multi-year contracts get progressively sharper rates.
Region. KZN deliveries from our Ballito yard are the fastest and lowest delivery cost. Western Cape, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga and Limpopo all carry their own delivery profile.
Site access. Tight yards that need additional crane work, multi-stop deliveries, and remote sites all affect the once-off cost.
Power supply. Three-phase grid is the cheapest to run. Single-phase, generator-only, and hybrid arrangements have their own cost profiles.
Service tier. Standard servicing is included. Tighter SLAs, telemetry, and bespoke fitout sit above the base monthly.
What is included in the rental
A working refrigerated container, set to your temperature, fully commissioned on site by our team before they leave. Standard scheduled servicing across the contract. Telephone support for any operational questions or temperature issues. Collection at end of contract (priced separately, agreed up front).
What is not included by default: generator hire, custom telemetry logging, racking or hanging rail, sub-4-hour SLA. All available as add-ons.
Minimum rental periods
We do not enforce a hard minimum across the board. Short-term event hire, a single weekend or a one-week festival, runs at a different rate sheet to monthly rolling. Most ongoing customers take a one-month minimum on the rolling rate, with the option to extend or end with notice.
Long-term contracts are sharper on price. If you know you need the unit for twelve or twenty-four months, tell us at quoting and we will price accordingly.
How to get a real quote
Send us four things and we come back with a real number, usually the same day:
What you are storing, the temperature you need, how long you need the unit for, and where the site is. That is enough to scope the unit, the delivery, and the run cost.
Use the sizing wizard if you are not sure what size unit fits your operation. WhatsApp on +27 74 550 4442 if a real conversation is faster.
FAQ
How much does a refrigerated container cost to rent in SA? Indicative starting prices: from R6,500 per month for a 3m reefer, from R9,500 per month for a 6m reefer, and from R14,500 per month for a 12m reefer. Final pricing depends on size, term, region, and add-ons such as generator hire and service level. Request a quote for your specific situation.
What is included in the rental price? A working refrigerated container set to your temperature, fully commissioned on site, scheduled servicing, telephone support, and collection at the end of the contract. Generator hire, custom telemetry logging, racking, and tighter service SLAs are add-ons priced separately.
Are there minimum rental periods? There is no hard minimum across the fleet. Short-term event hire runs at a different rate sheet to monthly rolling. Most ongoing customers take a one-month minimum on the rolling rate. Longer-term contracts of six, twelve or twenty-four months get sharper rates.
How much is delivery? Local delivery from our Ballito yard to the Durban radius starts at R3,500 once-off. National delivery is quoted on application, the figure depends on the destination, the route, and whether the unit needs a crane lift on arrival.
Do you charge extra for generators or load-shedding backup? Yes, generator hire is an add-on from R2,000 per month, sized to the unit you are taking. The load-shedding guide covers the practicalities of running on grid, generator, or hybrid.
Why don't you publish a fixed rate card? Because the final number genuinely depends on five or six variables, size, term, region, site access, power supply, add-ons. A fixed rate card would either over-quote customers with simple sites or under-quote customers with complex ones. Indicative ranges plus a fast custom quote serves customers better.
Get a quote
Tell us what you are storing, the temperature you need, how long for, and where the site is. We come back with availability and a real number.
See the reefers page for the fleet detail, the sizing wizard if you are not sure what size unit you need, or the reefer vs fixed cold room page for the rent-vs-build decision. WhatsApp on +27 74 550 4442.