Container cranes consist of a supporting framework that can traverse the length of a quay or yard on a rail track.
The first container crane was built by PACECO Corp. for Matson at the Encinal Terminal in Alameda, California in 1959.
[1] There are two common types of container handling gantry crane: high profile, where the boom is hinged at the waterside of the crane structure and lifted in the air to clear the ships for navigation, and low profile, where the boom is shuttled toward and over the ship to allow the trolley to load and discharge containers.
Low-profile cranes are used where they may be in the flight path of aircraft, such as where a container terminal is located close to an airport.
The trolley runs along rails located on the top or sides of the boom and girder.
Straddle carriers, sidelifts, reach stackers, or container lorries then manoeuvre underneath the crane base and collect the containers, rapidly moving them away from the dock and to a storage yard.