How to Choose Container Gantry Cranes for Small and Medium-Sized Container Yards?

A set of wrongly selected gantry cranes will directly lower the operating rhythm of the entire yard, either the utilisation rate of the heap area does not go up, the site is wasted, or fuel consumption, electricity, maintenance costs remain high for a long period of time, and even more troubling is that the pre-planning is not done, and if you want to change the layout and add stacking space later, you have to spend a lot of money on the reconstruction. This piece of content does not engage in false parameter stacking, only from the real scene of small and medium-sized yards.

Combined with the yard size, throughput, infrastructure conditions, long-term costs, to help you run through the models, configurations, suppliers, and select the container gantry cranes that are really suitable for their own yard.

Henan Mine Crane manufactured Automated Container Gantry Crane

Typical operating characteristics of small and medium-sized yards

The number of stacking areas is not large, usually only a few groups of stacking spaces, the operation is relatively miscellaneous, imports, exports, empty containers are often mixed together to deal with, there is a peak time for collector trucks to enter and exit, but the overall flow is much lower than that of the large terminals, the number of on-site maintenance team is not large, and the power and infrastructure conditions are relatively ordinary.

Once the equipment is down, the impact on small terminals is more obvious, because there are not many spare seats to take over.

Why this positioning is important for selection

Many small and medium-sized yards to buy a large dock level of high allocation of cranes, the results of most of the functions can not be used, the money spent in vain, the appropriate degree of automation, a reasonable level of work in order to make the investment payback faster, in short, suitable for their own programmes, more valuable than the parameters of a good-looking programme.

Selection of the first step: first sort out the real data of the yard

Firstly, calculate the annual throughput in TEU.

More critical is the peak hourly volume of moving containers, not the average, small and medium-sized yards of the blockage, often appear in the peak period, but also to clarify the requirements of the turnaround time of the collector trucks, the fluctuation difference between the peak season and the off-season, but also to be written into the demand for cranes is to be matched according to the peak capacity, not according to the usual workload.

Container type composition

Daily to 20-foot, 40-foot or 45-foot box is the main, the ratio of heavy and empty containers about how much, there is no reefer operation, how high the proportion, whether it involves special cargo, all of these will affect the spreader and safety configuration.

Stacking Planning

In the future, how many rows and layers should be set up, which directly determines the span and lifting height of the crane, the width of the carriageway, the space for the truck to pass under the crane should be reserved, and the flow direction of the crates in and out of the warehouse will also affect the operating efficiency of the crane.

Operation shifts and intensity

How many shifts a day, how long to run every day, how big is the difference between the intensity of work in the peak season and off-season, these directly determine the level of work of the crane, choose low, the equipment breaks down quickly; choose high, the cost is not necessary.

Henan Mine Crane manufactured Automated Container Gantry Crane

Core choice: tyre-type RTG and rail-type RMG which to choose?

Tyre-type container gantry crane (RTG)

It doesn’t need to lay tracks, and can be used as soon as it enters the site. Advantages are obvious: no pre-built track, small investment in civil construction in the early stage, can be moved between different yards, high flexibility, suitable for the yard is still in the development, the layout may be adjusted stage.

Disadvantages are also very realistic: tyres are wearing parts, need regular maintenance and replacement, traditional diesel models will be higher cost and emissions, positioning accuracy is slightly weaker than the RMG with tracks.

Henan Mine Crane manufactured Automated Container Gantry Crane

Rail-mounted container gantry crane (RMG)

Suitable for yards with fixed location of stacking area and pursuing high-density stacking. Along the fixed track, stability and accuracy are better.

Advantages: accurate positioning, neat stacking of boxes, high space utilisation, smooth operation, more economical for long-term operation, easier to upgrade if you want to add semi-automatic and automatic functions subsequently.

Disadvantages: the early stage to lay tracks, do the foundation, civil construction costs are higher, installed, basically can not change the route, construction and planning cycle is longer.

Simple judgement principle for small and medium-sized yards

Yard may be expanded and layout changed in the future → RTG is given priority; the yard area is fixed, and it wants to use the space to the full and pursue stability → RMG is given priority.

Henan Mine Crane manufactured Automated Container Gantry Crane

Henan Mine Small Yard RTG Cases

East China, a small container yard with an annual throughput of about 80,000 TEU, initially entangled with the track and tyre programme, the yard has only three stacking spaces, the next two years plans to add new stacking areas, and the site of the general conditions of the civil engineering, we configure 40.5 tons of diesel RTG, eliminating the need for track construction, the equipment can be flexibly transferred in the existing stacking area and the future expansion of the area, the commissioning of the yard after the civil engineering costs reduced by about 30%, the overall duration of 25 days earlier than the peak period of every hour, and the construction cost is reduced by about 30%. After commissioning, the station civil construction cost is reduced by about 30%, the overall construction period is advanced by 25 days, and 18-22 moves can be stably completed per hour during peak period to meet the daily turnover.

Medium-sized yard RMG case

Ordos Wanli New Energy Intelligent Dry Port is a typical medium-sized yard, with fixed yard planning and the pursuit of high-density, Henan Mine customised the rail-mounted container gantry crane RMG, which adopts frequency conversion control and PLC system, supports remote monitoring and accurate positioning, and after the equipment is put into use, it helps the yard’s annual throughput to increase to 5 million tons, and the utilisation rate of the stacking space is increased by more than 15% compared with the traditional solution.

Henan Mine Crane manufactured Automated Container Gantry Crane

Key Technical Parameters

Rated lifting capacity

It mainly depends on the total weight of the spreader and the container, most of the small and medium-sized yards, single box operation is enough.

Not all yards need double-box spreader, blindly on will cost more.

Span

The span should be just enough to cover the stacking position + collector truck lane, don’t blindly increase it for the sake of ‘reservation’, the bigger the span, the heavier and more expensive the equipment is, it must be determined according to the actual width of the stacking area.

Lifting height

By how many layers of boxes you plan to pile up to decide, at the same time to leave enough spreader and top safety clearance, many yards and stations want to increase the number of high level, the height of the early stage did not leave enough, can only change the equipment.

Speed and control

We are accustomed to look at the maximum speed, but in fact, it is not very meaningful, we should pay more attention to the acceleration and deceleration is smooth, whether it is running smoothly, the action is soft, the box is not easy to shake, it is more practical for the safety and efficiency of the yard.

Work level

It must match the real intensity of operation. If the working level is not enough, the equipment will wear out in advance and break down frequently, and if the level is too high, the cost of purchase and self-weight will rise.

Wheel pressure and track load

RTG should look at the ground load-bearing, RMG should look at the track foundation, which is the big head of the civil construction cost, must be calculated early, many people only look at the price of the crane, and finally planted in the foundation transformation.

Henan Mine Rail-mounted Container Gantry Crane

Yard layout and infrastructure

For small and medium-sized yards, site conditions are often more than the equipment parameters determine the final cost, collector turning radius is enough, whether the lane will be blocked, how to allocate the heap and the lane, directly affecting the operating efficiency of the crane, the line of motion is unreasonable, and then the good cranes can not get up fast.

RTG requirements on the ground

Ground bearing capacity, flatness, settlement resistance should meet the standard, long-term repeated crushing, poor road surface, maintenance costs will be very high.

RMG Requirements for track foundation

The track should be straight, the foundation should be stable, and there should be no uneven settlement, it seems to spend more money in the early stage, but the failure rate will be much lower in the later stage.

Power supply conditions

Whether the power grid is stable or not, whether the voltage is enough or not, whether the capacity of transformer should be increased or not, electric equipment relies highly on electricity, if there is no good planning in the early stage, it can’t be used in the later stage.

Outdoor environment

Coastal areas have salt spray, inland dust, wind and snow in the north, these are related to the corrosion level, protection level, windproof device configuration.

How to choose the power system

Diesel RTG

Suitable for poor grid conditions, inconvenient wiring stations, no need to invest in power supply transformation in the early stage, into the field can work, long-term calculation, fuel expenditure will be a considerable cost.

Hybrid RTG

More fuel-efficient than pure diesel, emission is also better, suitable for medium workload, but also want to control the use of cost of the yard, in the early investment and later expenditure is more balanced.

Electric RTG / RMG

Electricity cost is significantly lower, less noise, more cost-effective for long-term use, but only if your yard has a stable and reliable power supply.

Simple Choice Ideas

The more frequent the operation and the more convenient the use of electricity, the more suitable for electrification, the average workload and power supply conditions, hybrid or diesel is more realistic.

Degree of automation

For most small and medium-sized yards, this is the surest starting point, with low costs, fast driver uptake and simple maintenance.

Semi-automated features worth adding

Anti-sway control, assisted positioning, camera monitoring, load monitoring, fault diagnostics, crash protection – not exactly complex, but a significant improvement in safety and peace of mind.

Henan Mine Practical Configuration Experience

When we make solutions for small and medium-sized yards, we give priority to the standard anti-shaking system, so that the driver doesn’t have to correct the spreader repeatedly, and the time for moving a single box is reduced by 8%-12%, while reducing the risk of box collision and cargo, and less maintenance in the later stage.

Future upgradability

Focus on whether the control system is an open architecture, whether remote monitoring, and whether the software can be upgraded in the future, so as to satisfy the present and then reserve for the future, instead of buying the top of the line in one step.

Henan Mine Rail-mounted Container Gantry Crane

Compliance, Reliability

Overload protection, all kinds of limit switches, emergency stop, collision protection between multiple machines, outdoor equipment must have wind alarm and rail clamping/fixing device, anti-shaking system is not mandatory, but it is very practical for small and medium-sized yards.

Details affecting reliability

The brand and quality of motor, drive, brake and electrical components, whether the spreader interface is standard and common, whether the cable routing and protection design is reasonable, whether the anti-corrosion level and protection IP level are in line with the site environment.

Certification and Compliance

Comply with local special equipment requirements, provide complete factory, inspection and commissioning information, which are not only for compliance, but also the basis for subsequent maintenance.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

The price of the equipment itself, civil infrastructure, power supply modification, transport, lifting, installation, commissioning, training, these add up to the real first investment.

Annual usage cost (OPEX)

Fuel or electricity costs, tyre/wheel/track wear and tear, wearing parts, maintenance costs, labour efficiency, downtime losses, downtime affects small and medium-sized yards more fatally than large stations.

Full Life Cycle Costs

How long is the warranty, how long is the maintenance cycle, how good are the spare parts, how fast is the supply, can the manufacturer assist remotely and visit quickly.

Henan Mine 5-year TCO comparison case

Diesel RTG: 5 years fuel cost + tyre + maintenance, about 45% higher than equipment purchase cost.

Electric RTG/RMG: Electricity expense is only 1/3 of diesel, saving more in the long run.

A medium-sized yard in South China that we serve changed 2 sets of diesel RTGs to electric RTGs, and the 5-year comprehensive cost of use dropped by about 28%, and the yard’s payback cycle was shortened by 1.5 years.

How to choose a supplier

Technical capability

Have you ever done any real case of container yard, can you draw and customise the plan according to your site, is the integration of spreader and control system mature.

Production and quality

Whether the delivery time is real, whether the quality control process is complete, whether it can support the factory acceptance test FAT, whether the source of key components is traceable.

Installation and after-sales service

Will the door debugging, training operators, accessories package proposal is reasonable, promised response time can be honoured, there is no remote service capability.

Be sure to ask before signing the contract

How much efficiency can be achieved under our working conditions? Which civil engineering parts are included and which are not? Which parts have the longest delivery time? Which 1-2 years wearing parts are recommended? What is the scope and boundary of warranty?

When Henan Mine serves small and medium-sized container yards, it will write all these contents into the programme without hiding items or raising prices later.

From Dongfanghong (Luoyang) International Dry Port to Ordos Wanli Dry Port, we insist on doing the configuration according to the actual demand of the yard without over-design.

Henan Mine Rail-mounted Container Gantry Crane

The 8 pits that small and medium-sized yards are most likely to step on

Only looking at who quotes the lowest price, not looking at the long-term cost.

Focusing only on the present, not leaving room for future expansion.

Underestimating the renovation cost of road surface, track and power supply.

Blindly pursuing high speeds that don’t actually improve production.

Buying automation that is too complex and no one on site will maintain it.

Don’t plan electricity in advance, only to realise you can’t use it when the equipment arrives.

Calculate only according to the average throughput, not enough during peak hours.

Neglecting after-sales service and spare parts, can’t find someone to fix it when it breaks down.

Simple and practical seven-step selection method

Define the size of the yard and the peak throughput.

Determine the layout of the yard and the direction of traffic flow.

Select RTG or RMG.Determine the lifting capacity, span, lifting height and working level.

Compare the power scheme and full cycle cost.

Examine manufacturer’s technology, case studies, and after-sales capability.

Confirm scope, acceptance, installation and commissioning process.

Conclusion

For small and medium-sized container yards, the most suitable container gantry crane is never the one with the strongest parameters and the most functions.

It must be the programme that fits your site layout, throughput, infrastructure conditions and future planning.

Henan Mine Crane has been deeply engaged in container yard equipment for many years, and is good at making pragmatic, landable and low-cost customised solutions for small and medium-sized yards.

If you have yard size, throughput, site conditions, we can directly give the appropriate model and budget reference.