Container terminals (ii). Storage systems.

A container terminal can be understood as composed of several subsystems, with physical connection and information networks of land and sea transport system.

Terminal subsystems are:

1. Loading and unloading subsystem. The maritime gateway;
2. Storage subsystem. The courtyard of the terminal;
3. Receipt and delivery subsystem. The road and ground rail doors (sometimes not available);
4. Interconnection subsystem.

Apart from these subsystems have to consider whether to locate and where to do it, these other services:

• Container freight station (CFS). This is the area dedicated to serving LCL traffic.
• Areas of customs inspection and customs.

Other things to consider:

• The location of refrigerated containers
• The attention to dangerous goods

Storage subsystem

This subsystem can be classified according to the equipment employed.

Storage on platforms

• The blocks are arranged parallel to the dock.
• The block is usually formed by two rows of platforms with their backs together.
• A typical length of block may be equivalent to a docking.

Storage by forklifts

The block is usually formed by two rows of container houses, so that the truck can access the containers by their side or at the top; and stacking 2 or 3 heights.

The blocks are available: parallel or perpendicular to the dock to it. This decision together with the other dimensions are taken to adapt to the measures available to the possibilities of the trucks, and the optimization of space and movements performed (of trucks and means of interconnection).

Storage by straddle carrier

The shape of the SC forces have separate containers stacked in rows 1.2 to 1.5 m, sufficient distance for the driver parade with their feet by the hole SC.

The SC introduced and removed containers passing blocks above the rest, so the last stack level must be unobstructed.

The SC classic stacked on two levels (2 + 1), but today are very frequent three (3 + 1) levels, indicating the last ‘+1’ which is the level overpass.

Regarding the wharf line, the orientation of the rows can be done in two ways:

• Parallel to it: the SC enters the row of a circular motion perpendicular streets;
• Perpendicular: This spring arrangement in relation patio- the SC enters and exits the row which came back down, describing a kind of pendulum.
• What corresponds to optimizing movements, perpendicular arrangement is better, but is far more prone to accidents, so it appears that most courts are organized in rows parallel to the dock.

Storage by Rubber Tyred Gantry crane (RTG)

The RTG organizes elongated rectangular blocks, of which the most common sizes are:

• Length: length similar to the length of the vessel type;
• Width: 6 Container + 1 to circulate through interconnection (sometimes the lane for interconnection is external, which forces the RTG is much wider, because the container must come and go between the two frames);
• High: 3A5 + 1. But there are some major measures RTGs.

Storage by Rail Mounted Gantry crane (RMG)

• Circular rail allows maximum stack (3, 4, 5 and up to 8 +1), and width (up to 20), therefore the system is maximization of surface, and also the one with the maximum removals – useless-for effective movement.
• The blocks are rectangular and very long.
• Communication with the interconnecting means is made

Well arranging road or on the sides of the blocks by RMG exterior overhangs, or providing a good road in the center of the block

Container terminals (i). Introduction.

Here we begin a new chapter: container terminals. The most important traffic nowadays and the type of traffic with greater improvement and best future previsions

The difference in container terminals with other port terminals is that they can achieve a high degree of systematization due to: the standardization of the item transported, the container; standardization in the form of port handling; the high level of exchanges that are required; and the significant impact that technology represents the profitability of the terminal.

First of all it is necessary to know which goods will be handled. The container can be of very different sizes and types.

The Series 1 Freight container (ISO 668) is the most widely used standard sizes. Over 95% of the world are well containers 20 ’40 well’. This defines the transport unit, the TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit)

Almost all are made of steel. Usually owned (or leased) shipping. He is handled and secured by its 8 corners with standardized slots. Traffic imbalances require moving large number of empty containers (easily 30 or 40%).

The most important types are:

Standard TEU

Medium Height

Tank

Cage

Open Side

Open Top

Flat Rack

Reefer

Traffic data

Container traffic is a growing trend in recent years. More and more goods are transported and open routes. We can see these tendencies in the following figures:

1. International maritime traffic (in millions of tons charged)

2. Tendencies in different container maritime lines (in millions of TEU transported)

3. Main maritime shipping companies.

Ro-ro terminals (iii). Beth arrangements and storage.

The existence of ramps on ships, the fact that they work with outstanding usable by customers, changes in water level (tide and others) and the ship itself (to be loaded and unloaded) single out this docking.

Ground docking types:

a) Side

b) Corner

c) Ventured

d) Protruded

e) In point

f) Stepped

Depending on sea levels and ship leveks, docking can be made directly on the dock, or through intermediate ramps.

The two basic types of mooring, as to their shape in profile is concerned, are two: fixed heel and shore ramps. Both are standardized types ISO: 6812.

For shore ramps, the definition is simple, leaving much room for the designer.

Storage ro-ro terminals

Storage platforms

• For platforms: storage is formed by blocks of tracks. The footprint is usually 16×3 m, and marked on the ground.
• Move refrigerated platforms, is required to have a special area for them (Power Team).
• The composition of tracks in the block may be of various shapes, resulting in the use of the following table  (m2 / platform):

Turning radius (m)	Area needed (m2/platform) for each design and optimum angle f
	1	2	3	4
	90°	45°	50°	45°
14	72.4	66.1	68.7	64.3
13	70.8	65.6	68.1	63.8
12	69.2	65.1	67.4	63.4
11	67.6	64.6	66.8	63.0
10	66.0	64.1	66.1	63.7

Designs:

                                         

Unregistered vehicles storage

In these terminals, often imported vehicles are carrying out value-added operations such as:

• Paraffin removal and washing
• Refinishing vehicles
• Customizing
• Minor repairs or fuel supply

To benefit the surface sometimes buildings are constructed, sometimes called ‘silos’. In this case, value-added operations are performed on the ground or in.

Ro-ro terminals (ii). Receipt and delivery.

The load flow points between which the terminal is responsible for loading:

• First Point Of Rest (FPOR) or location from which the terminal takes responsibility for the vehicle or load.
• Last Point Of Rest (LPOR) or place from which that responsibility ends

This issue is of particular interest in vehicular traffic without registering

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In vehicular traffic without accessing road enroll

For shipping / receiving export vehicles materializes as follows:

1. They arrive at the terminal by road (rarely by rail) in large multi-transport vehicle trailers.
2. These multi platforms access a FPOR reception located near door of the terminal where park in 5x25m slots, and from where the vehicles are unloaded in a row.
3. For each platform two rows of 8 cars are expected.
4. Since this block is going after the general store moving vehicles, making room for arrivals on other platforms.

In the case of landing / import:

1. When you get to take the multi-platform destination, they are transported from the warehouse to delivery LPOR:
   • Location with a similar arrangement of the previous image.
   • Also located in the vicinity of the doors, but with a reverse to the aforementioned operation, so the muti-vehicle platforms for his departure from the terminal are loaded.
2. It could be taken into account whether this LPOR also count as FPOR, although in this case it is used only as temporary storage, as access to multi platforms is not so immediate. In general, as the uses of FPOR and LPOR not usually simultaneous, sometimes has a unique area that acts as the case with either function.

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Railway receipt or delivery

• As for the port arrangement is usually solved by pathways that access to an area with ramps (these ramps can be transportable), which allows loading or unloading trains from behind.
• As the vehicles are not on the road yet, trains to bring vehicles to the terminal (railway receipt) have had to be loaded in own factories.
• The opposite (vehicles carried by rail –railway delivery-) is also doubtful: where are carried well? To a dry port or similar area, equipped with exchange zone?). This makes many terminals of this type (particularly those devoted exclusively to imports) do not have a railway gate.

Reception and delivery in platforms terminals

• At the door of the terminal there will be one or several booths that indicate the location of the terminal where they should deliver / collect the platform.
• To this end, if the traffic is not intense the driver goes directly to the storage area to leave-collecting platform.
• If instead it is a very heavy traffic, would provide a parking area next to the park gate where the driver / platform collects, and where you will collect / take a tractor terminal. This option is interesting if traffic is intense (and the driver enters the terminal, reducing the accident), or if the merchandise is special. In this way, the internal organization of the platforms are made by the terminal at the time deemed appropriate and not forced by the presence of the driver of the cargo; although this involves more space available, means and personnel.

Ro-ro terminals (i). Types of traffic and costumers.

Here we begin a 3 posts serie about Ro-ro terminals (Roll on-Roll off terminals). In the first of these posts we will talk about different types of traffic and costumers in a ro-ro terminal. In the second one we will talk about receipt and delivery of freight and, finally, in the third post we will talk about berth arrangements.

The ro-ro terminals according to the type of traffic are:

• Mixed-ro and passage: mixed traffic characteristic of traffic crossings to islands or straits, but also others.
• For cars without enrolling (new or used), but also sometimes trucks and tractors, buses, vans, etc … as well as lots of agricultural machinery; mining and public works. Smaller vehicles such as motorcycles or the like, their size can be transported (sometimes removed) in similar cases to the pallets, or even within containers.
• For Short Sea Traffic (SSS). This is because this type of traffic (only complete trucks or platforms, loaded or not), which is called ‘Motorways of the Sea’, is not competitive with container on long trips, defined as those exceeding one or 2 days.

Terrestrial terminal clients are:

• Trucks loaded (either the case or mixed SSS) traveling with his driver.
• Platforms traveling by sea without tractor and driver (that is if the SSS).
• Passenger cars, traveling by sea with its driver (in the case of mixed terminals).
• Vehicles without registering, who come to or leave the terminal by road, and in some cases by rail.

Source: International Shipping USA