Fast loading and unloading devices : planning and scheduling requirements

Abstract

This report has been compiled within the Platform project. The project itself aims at the enhancement of transhipment processes in an intermodal terminal. A crucial process within a terminal is loading and unloading of Intermodal Transport Units from trucks onto trains and vice-versa. Traditional terminal technology, such a gantry cranes, reach stackers, straddle carriers or mobile cranes are usually applied without precomputed schedules. Whereas one of the goals of the project is to show possible enhancements through scheduling and planning the use of these devices, this report describes and compares new terminal equipment. The new equipment allows for parallel or quasi parallel access to the ITUs on trains and thus provides fast transhipment processes. The comparison in the report focuses on the planning and scheduling requirements of these new fast handling devices.