Storage crates: how do they work after the expedition is over?

Since this is going to drag on for some time, I set up a base with a single storage container. It's labeled 0, but back in the main save I already have a storage container 0. What happens to this crate when I join up with my primary save? Does it go poof? Change to a different.number? I wouldn't care except it means I have to rejigger all the cra... All the *items* I keep picking up and which I'll eventually have to decide to port over in the interface or not.

I'm only about 140 hours in and this is only my third expedition so I apologize.if there's an obvious answer I'm missing.