Method and system for exchanging shipping containers

A system, comprising:

• one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media;
• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more program modules stored in the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media and executed by the one or more processors to:
• receive a request from a first user of a group of users for an empty export container;
• notify the group of users of the request;
• receive an offer from a second user of the group of users to match the request by exchanging an empty import container owned or leased by a shipping line;
• notify the first user of the offer;
• if the offer is accepted by the first user, determine if the empty import container is approved by the shipping line to be exchanged as the empty export container;
• if the empty import container is approved, notify the first and second users to exchange the empty import container as the empty export container.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing specific computer-executable instructions that, when operated by a processor, perform operations comprising:

• receiving a request from a first user of a group of users for an empty export container;
• notifying the group of users of the request;
• receiving an offer from a second user of the group of users to match the request by exchanging an empty import container owned or leased by a shipping line;
• notifying the first user of the offer;
• if the offer is accepted by the first user, determining if the empty import container is approved by the shipping line to be exchanged as the empty export container;
• if the empty import container is approved, notifying the first and second users to exchange the empty import container as the empty export container.