Container terminal operations: An overview

Container vessels are scheduled to visit a set of container terminals along their route. Import containers will be unloaded from the vessel while export containers will be loaded at each terminal. Berthing times at terminals are considered as non-value activities and for that reason need to be minimised. Consequently, terminal operations need to be organised in such a way that unloading and loading operations can be performed efficiently. Those operations take place at five different areas, namely at the berth, quay, transportation, yard and gate. We define the berth and quay areas as the seaside of the terminal. The landside of the terminal includes the storage yard and gate area. Those two areas are connected by a transportation area where transfer vehicles transport containers from the vessel to the yard and vice versa.