TM 5-850-1
CHAPTER 13
CONTAINER PORTS
13-1. Planning.
cranes on the wharf, except for a few ships equipped
a. Basic considerations. In container port design,
with their own gantries and for the roll-on/roll-off
container type of operation, it is desirable that all the
the basic considerations are as follows:
berths in a terminal be in a straight line.
(1) Open space is needed in large amounts.
c. Storage and marshaling area.
The design
(2) Railroads and trucks are both involved in
criteria for storage and marshaling area are as follows:
feeding containers to the ship, and adequate space must
(1) One modern container ship will hold one thousand
be provided in the container yard for their operation.
40-foot containers or equivalents.
Based on
(3) Some buildings are required, although the
commercially available materials handling equipment,
number and area will be quite limited compared with
approximately 12 acres of storage and marshaling area,
those for break-bulk general cargo terminals.
including area for trailer chassis, will be required for off-
(4) Because of the large land area required,
loading one of the newer container ships. (fig. 13-1)
berths for containerships will be of the continuous
(2) Each storage and marshaling area should
bulkhead or wharf type of construction, rather than
be designed to accommodate one of the most suitable
finger piers or dolphin-type construction.
types of commercial Materials Handling Equipment
(5) Space will normally be required on the
(MHE), which appeared to be either the heavy duty front
wharf for railroad tracks, operation of trailer and straddle
loader, the side loader, or straddle carrier, in conjunction
trucks, and gantry cranes ranging from 25to 35-ton
with the trailer chassis.
capacity for handling containers. Therefore, the wharf
(3) Substantial amounts of base course and
will generally be wider than for break-bulk general cargo
pavement surfacing must be provided each storage and
terminals.
b. Containership berths. Containership berth is
marshaling area, otherwise failures can be expected
from the loads exerted by either the loaded MHE or
generally a marginal-type wharf backed up by ample
stacked containers, or possibly more so by combinations
land for the operation. The design of the wharf is little
of each. Surfacing requirements are contained in
different than that of any other wharf except for the
following features:
(4) Most modern MHE needs to have the
(1) Containerships are becoming larger than
capability of stacking fully loaded 40-foot containers
general cargo ships, requiring berths up to 900 to 1,000
(67,200 pounds) three high; however, only two-high
feet long, whereas a 500to 600-foot berth will serve
stacking is recommended due to additional weight and
most general cargo ships.
maintenance of pavement surface.
(2) Provision must be made in the design of
(5) Empty containers will not be stacked over
the deck for the support of the front gantry crane rail and
three high unless wind screening is provided.
possibly for the rear rail unless the gage is very wide.
(6) Commercial storage and marshaling areas
Because of the heavy loads to be lifted (up to 40 tons)
should be located as near the off-loading pier as
and the long reach to load the far side of the ship (up to
possible. This could be a problem for military storage
110 feet), the wheel loads are very heavy, usually 100
and marshaling areas because of the potential of enemy
to 115 kips on 4-foot centers.
action damaging or destroying both structures at the
(3) The design live load is usually heavier than
same time.
for break-bulk general cargo wharves, being 800 to
(7) The surface gradient of the storage and
1,000 pounds per square foot, and the deck slab will
marshaling areas should be as small as adequate
normally have to be designed for the heaviest trailer
drainage will allow so that stacked containers can be
truck wheel loads and for railroad wheel loads when the
accommodated more efficiently.
railroad is placed on the wharf.
(8) The placement of each container should be
(4) Because of the high live load that can
according to its scheduled movement from the storage
occur in back of the wharf, the structure must be
and marshaling area.
designed for a relatively large horizontal surcharge load.
d. Railroad and truck operation.
(5) Because of the prevailing method of
(1) Provision for railroad operation. Container
handling the containers on and off the ship by movable
gantry
13-1
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