There are different equipment which are required when loading or even unloading of containers. The most important of these equipment is perhaps the lifting equipment. There different kinds of container lifting equipment which are used both for unloading as well as the loading of containers and this is either using of Forklift trucks, reach stackers, store trains for containers, empty container handlers, gantry cranes which are rubber tyre ones, gantries which are mounted on rails as well as portal slewing cranes.
These are used for managing of these container unloading at the terminals. In fact the terminal is used so that the vessel berthing is managed. The containers can be loaded for outbound journeys and unloaded for inbound journeys as well as the storage yards can be used for storing of the containers. This however can only happen when the right equipment is used in the correct place.
Equipment used during unloading containers
- Ship to shore container cranes are needed is when there is a large dockside. It is like a huge gantry crane found on the dockside and performs all those functions which is like unloading as well as loading the intermodal containers, the berths to the ships and the berths to the containers. These have a trolley which is run along rails from the landside of the dock to the waterside. The container is lifted from the ship with the spreader. It is then moved high over the dock and then placed on the trailer where it is then transported to the yard for storage.
- Portal slewing cranes work like the STS crane. This has the boom which is hinged waterside and it can be lifted in the air so that the containers can be cleared.
- Rail mounted gantry is used when there is lifting and stacking of intensive containers. This has a lot of lifting capacity and is used very often in the container storage yards. There are RMG cranes which are used to lift the loads which are below the gantry structure as well as gantry frame.
- Rubber tyred gantry cranes which are mobile ones are used when the container needs to be lifted as well. This has more of a wide application than the other ones because this is mobile.
- In addition to this there are also forklifts container handlers and reach stackers. These are used so that the storage space is optimized. The forklifts vehicles have wide masts and forks which are mounted on the container slots so that these can be moved and lifted as well.
- Reach stackers have a steering mechanism. It has an arm, it has a spreader as well as it has a counterweight which is behind the cab. This can lift empty or even loaded containers and transport them from one place to another.
Transport platforms are used to decrease the risk of accidents when loading and unloading the containers. If however they are not sufficiently constructed or adequate or do not have the right dimensions, it could lead to transport vehicles falling. Therefore proper slings should be used for the forklifts and industrial trucks should be properly dimension as well as regularly examined.