How to Unload Container Ships in the Harbour

Ever been to the harbour and seen these massive containers being unloaded from ships? It is a remarkable sight and while it may seem to be a simple enough process, it, in fact, requires both high-tech machinery and a high degree of human competence. Here’s a brief guide into this complex and captivating process.

The Right Harbour

Before the unloading process begins, it is essential that a suitable harbour is found. This means a harbour that not only has the right kind of equipment to unload containers but one that can also accommodate the weight and size of some truly massive ships. From robot crane technology to deep harbours created through dredging, many of the ports around the world have been created to meet these needs.

Keeping Size in Perspective

When it comes to the containers that are unloaded, it is important that one gets an idea just how huge they are. A shipping container is typically classified as a TEU which stands for “Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units”; that being said, the common container measures to 40 feet in length which would make it two TEUs. Simple containers are made using aluminium or steel, while you do get specially designed containers as well for storage of item like frozen produce.

The Quay Cranes in Action

Quay cranes are usually classified by just how much they can lift and the size of the container ship they can handle. For example, Panamax quay cranes can handle containers from a ship the size of which can pass through the Panama Canal (referred to as a Panamax class ship). Post-Panamax quay cranes are equipped to deal with wider ships that are too large to pass through the Panama Canal. You also get Super-Post-Panamax cranes like those found which are utilised to deal with even larger ships that feature a great number of containers.

Shuttle Carriers

Once the containers have been secured onshore, it is the job of the shuttle carriers to pick them up with the assistance of a hydraulic lift and stack or move them. Shuttle carriers generally have the ability to lift two TEUs and are very important in ensuring the whole process runs smoothly and on time.

Stacking Cranes

Once the containers have been successfully moved by the shuttle carriers, the stacking cranes begin their work; these are robotic or automated systems that have the capability to pick up the huge containers and carefully stack them. With the advancement in technology, the latest stacking cranes do not require direct human involvement; the modern versions of this machine utilise 3D laser scanners that detect the container’s exact position; there is a central database that registers container locations and ensures stacking takes place at optimal efficiency.

The Final Stage

The last stage of this fascinating process involves the container actually leaving the harbour, this time on land. Each of the containers is first loaded onto a railcar or truck (varies according to the harbour and its transport links); depending on the machinery available, this process can be fully automated too as a stacking crane locates the right container, picks it up and brings it over to the specified bay. The crane then lines up the container over the truck bed and begins the process of carefully lowering it into place on the parked vehicle. The driver then ensures the containers are secure before heading off.

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