Container Terminal Design

Container Terminal Design

Due to the immense speed and relentlessness of growth of international trade and the fact that major parts of the cargo is transported via sea vessels there is an increasing demand for additional terminal capacity by setting up new terminal facilities or by extending existing ones.

It is without controversy that the rapid growth in foreign trade using sea vessels focuses in improving the infrastructure and operational efficiencies at container terminals and port facilities on a global level. It is also evident that the containerization has become the preferred mode for maritime shipping and inland transportation.

Due to the above described development terminals are confronted with changing process requirements, increasing vessel sizes, capacity constraints, automation technology, safety and security, environmental concerns, increasing traffic and rising performance expectations from end-users and/or from the shareholders.

Basically the container terminal design includes strategic design choices such as the terminal layout at the stackside, choice of equipment for handling containers at the seaside and landside, and type of vehicles for container transport between seaside and the landside, site location, etc.

As every other terminal, a container terminal is a complex system which works only efficiently when its layout is designed and planned in such a way that the loading and discharging process of vessels runs smoothly. A TOS system is responsible for the overall management of a modern terminal facility enabling an efficient interaction of all involved systems and types of equipment.