CONTAINER TERMINAL OPERATIONS

SECTION 1
Containerisation and its Evolution

Development of Cargo Handling

Bulk / Break Bulk

Unitization
Lash System
Palletisation
Containerisation

Containerisation An innovative concept

Containerisation is a system of intermodal freight transport
using standard ISO Containers that can be loaded and sealed
intact onto container ships, rail and road trailers.

History of Containerisation
Initially used by railroads small containers of 5 to 10 long,
wooden and non-stackable.
Towards end of World War II, US Army used standard containers
transporters with dimensions of 8.5feet (2.6m) long, 6.25feet
(1.91m) wide, and 6.83feet (2.08m) high, made of rigid steel
with carrying capacity of 9000 lbs
April 26, 1956 Malcolm McLean loaded the first lot of 58 x 35
containers aboard a refitted tanker ship named Ideal X from Port
Newark to Houston. (Large size containers without need to open
in transit from shipper to the consignee).
1950s - Port of New York Authority built Port Elizabeth Marine
Terminal Worlds first Container Terminal.

Classification of Containers
By Size:
20 Feet
40 Feet
By type:
General Cargo Container
Open Top Container
Flat Container
Liquid / Gas Container
Thermal Container

Standardisation of Handling Equipment

SECTION 2
Container Terminal Operations

CONTAINER TERMINAL
A container terminal is a facility
where containers are received,
stored and then delivered. The
containers entry and exit can be by
sea, rail or road.

Typical Container Terminal

Vessel
Operating Zone For Ship

Stacking Area For Import And Export Containers

Empty Containers

Special Containers

Exchange And Transfer Zone

Container Terminal Activities

Container Entry / Exit By Road

Container entering /
exiting the Gate
Complex and its details
entered into the
computer

Work Queue in VMTs (Vehicle Mounted Terminal)

The software available generates
the yard location of the container
and displays it on the VMT fitted
into the Container Handling
Equipment
TOTAL : 3
F4, F9,
SEND_________
1.PCIU5799420
X3184 >> 33A15M 25 2
2.GECU3129003 X3482 >> 33A15T 25 2
3. TTNU9904748 X1234 >> 33A20B 28 4

Handling of the Container in Yard

Stowage Planning the vessel in SPARCS

NAVIS
COSMOS
CATOS

Vessel Movements in Port - Berthing and Sailing

Vessel Operations

Rail Side Operations

Parameters Commonly Used

Permissible Draft indicates the depth available at the port.
Productivity GMPH (Gross Moves Per Hour), SMPH (Ship Moves Per
Hour), BMPH (Berth Moves Per Hour)
Throughput is amount of container exchange occurred within a
stipulated time frame. Normally throughput is calculated with the
number of working days in a year.
Dwell time is the average time a container spends in the terminal.
Berth Occupancy indicates the percentage utilisation of the berth
length.
Vessel Turnaround Time is the duration of vessel arrival at port to
its departure.
and many others.

Selection of Yard Equipments

Front End
Loaders (Reach
stackers, Top
Loaders, Fork
Lifts etc.)

Tractor/
Chassis System

Straddle Carrier

Yard Gantry
Crane System
(RTGC,RMGC
etc.)

Load
Utilization

Very Poor : 185 TEU /

Hectare

Good : 385 TEU /

Hectare

Very Good : 750 TEU /

Hectare

Poor : 275 TEU /

Hectare

Terminal
Development
Costs

Very Low : High quality

Surfacing not
Necessary

Medium : Hard Wearing

Surface Needed

High : High load bearing

surface needed for
crane wheels

High : heavy wear on

terminal Surface

Equipment
Cost

High : large number of

chassis required

Moderate : six straddle

carriers per ship / shore
cranes

High

Moderate : cost effective

for low throughputs

low

High

Low

Medium

Manning
Level and
Skill

High : more men But

low skill Required

Low : less men High

Skill Required

High : more men

medium high skill
required

Medium : Men Medium

Skill Requirement

Operating
Factors

Good Accessibility,
Simple terminal
Operation

High Flexibility , Good

Stacking

Good Land use, Scope

For Automation

Versatile Equipment

System
Features

Equipment
Maintenance
Cost

SECTION 3
GLOBAL SCENARIO WHAT IS THE FUTURE ??

TOP 10 TERMINALS
Rank
(2007)

Port

TEU

Rank
(2006)

Port

TEU

Singapore

27,932,000

Singapore

24,792,000

Shanghai

26,152,000

Hong Kong

23,539,000

Hong Kong

23,998,000

Shanghai

21,710,000

Shenzhen

21,099,000

Shenzhen

18,470,000

Busan

13,260,477

Busan

12,030,000

Rotterdam

10,256,829

Kaohsiung

9,775,000

Dubai

10,790,604

Rotterdam

9,603,000

Kaohsiung

10,650,000

Dubai

8,923,000

Hamburg

9,890,000

Hamburg

8,862,000

10

Quingdao

9,462,000

10

Los Angeles

8,470,000

SURVIVAL OF THE LARGEST

Mid Panamax
Large Panamax
Post Panamax
Large Post Panamax
Super Post Panamax
(Mega Vessels)

2000 3500
3500 4500
4500 6000
6000 8000
12500+

By 2011, Post Panamax Vessels will

contribute 50 % of all container slots

SURVIVAL OF THE LARGEST

Shipping Economics is driven by need to fill the
vessel to achieve low unit slot costtherefore
1. More consolidation
2. Slot sharinggradual exit of smaller vessels
3. Increase in bunker prices will accentuate cost
difference
4. Ship call frequency to decrease due to larger ships
and bigger parcel size
5. Reduced Port Calls as ports with low load factor
will be dropped out.

SURVIVAL OF THE LARGEST

FUTURE SCENARIO
1. Regional Ports (Ports that serve intra continent of
intra-regional (intra-asia) trades) may become
regional hubs and attract more transshipment
traffic
2. Feeder Ports (Ports that feed or receive cargo to and
from regional port or major hub port) that are unable
to feed to larger ships will be marginalised

SURVIVAL OF THE LARGEST

FUTURE SCENARIO
Ports will have to

Review its position as a Regional or Feeder Port

Review their hinterland traffic and connectivity (rail

and road) Is it sufficient and well connected?

Marine Infrastructure Deep draft, Tugs

Container Handling Equipments Twin Lift, Triple Lift,

Quad Lift.

Yard Space Larger space required for higher parcel

size, especially for transshipment traffic.

Advance Technology in all aspects Vessel Planning,

Yard Management, Gate Entry / Exit

Administration Bureaucracy, Customs procedures etc

Container Terminals in
India
Container Traffic (2007-08)
000 TEUs
651
185
4060

Mundra
Kandla

167

Kolkata Dock System

Haldia

Pipavav

118

21

425

MBPT
JNPT

Vizag

71

New Mangalore

254

1128

Chennai
Cochin

Tuticorin

450

Indian Ports Scenario

1. MAJOR PORTS
2. NON-MAJOR PORTS
3. PORT TRUSTS
4. CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES
5. PORT HEALTH
6. IMMIGRATION
7. POLLUTION CONTROL
BOARDS
8. TAMP
9. PUBLIC PRIVATE
PARTICIPATION

Positra
Mundra
Hazira
Tuna
Bharuch
Okha
Dahej
Porbander
Pipavav
Dholera
Kirtania
Vansi Borsi
MBPT
Rewas
Maroli
JNPT Dighi
Jaigad

Kolkata Dock System

Sagar Island
Dhamra Haldia
Paradip
Gopalpur
Vizag
Gangavaram
Kakinada
Nizampatnam
Mormugao
Machillipatnam
Karwar
Krishnapatnam
Major Sea Ports
New Mangalore
Ennore
Intermediate /Minor Sea
Azhikkal Kozhikode Chennai
Ports
Karaikal
Vallarpadam
Nagapattanam
Alapuzha
Tuticorin
Vizhinjam
l
Kulpi

Summary
Containerisation has brought about the concepts of standarisation,
fixed schedules, faster transit, and safe & efficient handling of cargo.
Exclusive Container Port Terminal for the handling of Specialised
Container Vessels with state-of-the-art handling equipments.
Larger vessel sizes will require Mega Container Terminals with advanced
infrastructural facilities..

THANK YOU