Port Machinery

Container cranes:
Container cranes are used to lift containers on and off ships by using a long
horizontal arm called a ‘boom’ that is part of the crane which can reach over
the container ship.
The crane has a specialised operator who sits in a glass cabin which is
connected under a device called a ‘trolley’ near the top of the crane. The
operator can move the cabin and trolley along the boom to get above the
container that it wants to pick up. The crane driver can then lower by wires a
device called a ‘spreader’ onto the top of a container which then locks onto
the container using devices called twist locks. This allows the crane to lift and
move the container either onto the dock or onto the ship depending on
whether the container is being imported or exported into Melbourne.
Container cranes are electrically driven and have a supporting framework
that sits steel wheels on rails so that they can move along the wharf to line
up with the ship that they are working on. A large container ship may have
up to 3 container cranes working on it simultaneously.
 Port of Melbourne

Straddle Carriers:
Straddle carriers are unregistered vehicles used to move containers within a
container terminal. At Port of Melbourne, straddles work with container
cranes to move the containers either to or away from the dock. The
straddles are also used to load or unload trucks that bring export containers
into the port or the import containers that go by road to businesses in
Victoria.
The straddles are operated by a driver who sits in a glass cabin at the top of
the vehicle facing the middle so that they can see all around them. Unlike
most vehicles the driver sits at right angles to the direction they are heading.
The driver uses computers to tell them which containers they need to pick
up. They pick up containers by using a device called a ‘spreader’ which is
placed on top of the container and it locks onto the container using
specialised twist locks.
Straddles normally stack containers up to 3 containers high for storage in
rows that allow the straddle to drive up and down over the stacks while
carrying another container. They can also drive right over the top of a truck
to place the container onto the back of it.
The straddles at DP World’s terminal at Swanson Dock West are powered by
bio-fuel to reduce carbon emissions.
 Port of Melbourne

Reach Stackers:
Reach stackers are off-road vehicles used to transport containers that are
waiting to be moved from one mode of transport to another such as from a
rail wagon onto a truck. They are faster and more flexible than forklifts.
Reach stackers are operated by a driver who sits in a cabin at the front of the
vehicle which has a long arm that reaches over the top of the driver from
behind.
Reach stackers 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 it
locks onto the container using devices called ‘twist locks’. Reach stackers are
able to place containers straight onto the back of trains or trucks or stack
containers on top of each other for storage. They can use their long and
flexible arm to stack containers up to 4 rows deep.

Empty Container Handler:

Empty container handlers are off-road vehicles used for handling empty
containers that are to be stored in container yards. They are able to
transport containers and stack them in rows up to 7 containers high. Empty
container handlers are operated by specialised drivers who sit in a cubicle in
the middle of the vehicle. They pick up containers using a device called a
‘spreader’ which connects into the corners of the containers using
specialised ‘twist locks’. The container gets lifted up the long vertical arm of
the handler which can be about 20 m high.
These machines are very important for storing containers in areas that have
a limited area.
 Port of Melbourne

Forklift:
Forklifts are vehicles used to move heavy containers around a terminal. This
might be to move them on and off trucks or to move them to storage areas.
There are two types of forklifts which pick up containers. One type of forklift
uses a device called a ‘spreader’ which has special ‘twist locks’ that lock into
the corners of a container to keep the container in place. The other type of
forklift uses two flat prongs which are placed underneath the container to lift
it up.

Bulk grabs
Some types of cranes used in the unloading or loading from ships of certain
types of dry, loose, solid material such as sugar or scrap metal use a set of
metal jaws called a ‘bulk grab’ attached to the end of cables from the crane.
The crane operator lowers the grab right into the storage compartments
called “holds” of a ship carrying the cargo. The grab takes big bites of the
material and the crane holding the grab can swing the load around, open the
jaws and drop the contents into trucks or storage containers or equipment
called ‘hoppers’.
 Port of Melbourne

Shiploaders:
Some equipment called ship loaders are used to load dry, loose, solid
material such as wheat into a ship’s hold. Shiploaders have a conveyor belt
which leads the material from storage silos to the arm of the shiploader, this
extends out over the cargo storage area of the ship. The material then falls
into the ships compartments from there.
A shiploader may consist of an extendable arm, a conveyor belt and a mobile
structure to support the arm. It is mounted on rails to so that it can move up
and down alongside the ship to the various holds of the ship. The extendable
arm is operated by a driver who can move the arm upwards and downwards
as well as side to side so that it can fill all of the corners of a ship’s storage
areas.

Hoppers:
Hoppers are specialised devices used to assist loading dry, loose, solid
material that is being imported in a ship. Hoppers are shaped like a large
funnel or chute. Either grabs or conveyor belts place or transport material
into the top of a hopper, where the material falls in. When the hopper is
filled, trucks drive directly underneath the hoppers, and then a gate can be
opened at the bottom of the hopper which allows the material to pour out
directly into the back of a truck.
 Port of Melbourne

Chiksan arm/ Marine loading arm :

A ‘chiksan arm’ is a mecahnical device like a bendable arm used to load and
discharge liquids and gases from ships. A chiksan arm consists of linked steel
pipes that connect to a docked ship. It consists of three main parts, a base
riser which supports the structure, an inboard arm which is the part of the
arm closest to the dock, and an outboard arm which is the section of the arm
closest to the ship. The inboard arm has many supporting structures which
help to balance the weight of the device; the outboard arm ends with a
structure which connects to the ships.
The arm has special swivel joints all along it where the steel pipes link. These
swivel joints allow for the arm to automatically adjust itself with the ships
movements. If the ship starts to move too much and the stress levels on the
swivel joints become too high, an emergency release system operates to
close valves within the pipe and disconnect the pipe from the ship to avoid
spilling the liquid or gas.
Port of Melbourne has chiksan arms operating at Holden Dock and
Gellibrand Pier

Silos:
Silos are for long-term storage of loose, dry, solid material such as wheat
awaiting export or cement that is being imported. Grain in silos is brought
into the port either by trucks or in special rail wagons.
 Port of Melbourne

Tanks
Tanks are mainly used to store liquids that are being imported or exported
by ships through the port. The liquids can be of a hazardous type such as
petrol or non-hazardous such as palm oils used in the manufacture of soaps
and cosmetics. The liquids are transported to or from the ships to the tanks
along pipelines that can be connected to the ship.

Trains
Trains with wagons designed to take containers or various other type
products such as wheat are used to transport products to the port for export
or for those being imported to off port rail terminals.