PIANC Presents Its New Publication

PIANC, the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure, has introduced its publication named “Design Principles for Small and Medium Marine Container Terminals”.

This report concentrates specifically on small and medium size container terminals and attempts to introduce current best practices and recommendations for ports and terminal operators setting up and developing new modern container handling facilities and includes but is not limited to the following:

– The latest design criteria for quay construction and container yard pavements;

– Current terminal layout planning;

– The adaptability of terminals to service larger container vessels;

– The difficulties faced in changing operational technology to facilitate growing traffic levels and to improve performance;

– Environmental issues related to terminal construction and operations;

– Land shortage due to environmental or urban constraints;

– The increasing tendency to use new transhipment operational technologies and equipment with the resulting higher level and intensity of maintenance;

– The development in the use of information technology;

– New trends in the use of door-to-door logistics and inter-modal transportation;

– The increased need for container terminal security such as ISPS Code compliance.

The Working Group composition was balanced between consultants, port engineers with operational experience, academics and information technology practitioners from a range of countries.

The first task that the group faced was to provide a definition of small and medium sized terminals and for the purpose of the report a small terminal is deemed to handle less than 250,000 TEU per annum and a medium terminal 250,000 to 750,000 TEU per annum.

The topics set out in the report are the general technical aspects that should be considered when designing a container terminal.

More info

[mappress]

Press Release, May 7, 2014