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Cranes for Containers Erected Everywhere

Container cranes have become such a critical component for handling cargo that a port’s capacity for moving freight is often measured by the number of cranes it has available for use. They must be housed within a metal framework that allows the crane to move the length of the yard where it will be hoisting cargo. A platform known as a spreader descends from the crane onto a container. There it locks onto the corners through links called corner castings. Normally, cranes lift only one container at a time, though some will lift two, and a few can carry up to four at once. These cranes are classified by size according to the sort of vessels that they can accommodate. A Panamax can unload a ship small enough in size to pass through the Panama Canal. This is about a dozen containers wide. Post Panamax units can reach the width of 18 containers. There is also a Super Post Panamax that can reach across 22 containers. The load capacity for these is generally around 65 tons which permits the lifting of a single 40 foot container or two 20 foot containers. Some models have double this capacity. The entire assemblages…
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