Port Machinery

Port machinery can be used to handle all types of cargo, from containers to bulk commodities, general cargo and even heavy lift cargo.

3 types of heavy machinery commonly used in modern ports

Reach Stacker:

Reach Stackers are off-road vehicles used to transport containers waiting to be moved from one mode of transport to another, for example from railcars to trucks. They are faster and more agile than forklifts.

A front-end crane is operated by a driver sitting in the front cab of the vehicle, who has a long arm that extends from the back to the top of the driver.

The front crane can pick up containers by using a device called a "spreader" at the end of its long arm. The spreader is placed on top of the container and is locked to the container using a device called a "twist lock". Stackers can place containers directly on the back of a train or truck, or stack containers together for storage. They can stack containers up to 4 rows deep using long, flexible arms.

Empty Container Handler:

Empty container handlers are off-road vehicles used to move empty containers to be stored in container yards. They are capable of transporting containers and stacking them in rows of up to 7 containers. Empty container handlers are operated by professional drivers who sit in a compartment in the middle of the vehicle. They pick up the containers using a device called a "spreader", which is attached to the corners of the containers using special "twist locks". The containers are lifted onto the long vertical arm of the handler, which is about 20 m high.

These machines are important for storing containers in areas with limited floor space.