Loading device for ISO containers

A method for unloading a ship at a container terminal comprising a container bridge for loading and unloading ships, said container bridge comprising a gantry frame having a water side and a land side, a boom extending over the gantry frame on the water side and on the land side, and running rails on the boom for a crane trolley with a load carrying device for transporting a container from ship to pier and vice versa, said container terminal further comprising a loading device arranged below the boom on the land side for cooperating with said load carrying device and with container transport vehicles, said loading device comprising at least two loading stations comprising respective bridge members movable on the ground independent of one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boom, said bridge members being parallel to one another and to the boom, each said bridge member having a longitudinally central area carrying a receiving platform for an ISO container which can be set down and picked up by said load carrying device, each said receiving platform being rotatable about a vertical axis, said method comprising

• lowering and depositing an ISO container suspended by said load carrying device onto the receiving platform of a first said loading station,
• rotating the receiving platform into parallel alignment with the bridge member,
• moving said loading station in said direction transverse to the boom to an offloading position where the container is transferred to a transport vehicle,
• while the container is being transferred, moving a second said loading station to a position under said load carrying device,
• rotating the receiving platform of said second loading station into orthogonal alignment with the bridge member,
• lowering and depositing an ISO container suspended by said loading carrying device onto the receiving platform of said second loading station, and
• repeating the steps alternately so that one of said loading stations is always being loaded while another one of said loading stations is being off-loaded.

A method for loading a ship at a container terminal comprising a container bridge for loading and unloading ships, said container bridge comprising a gantry frame having a water side and a land side, a boom extending over the gantry frame on the water side and on the land side, and running rails on the boom for a crane trolley with a load carrying device for transporting a container from ship to pier and vice versa, said container terminal further comprising a loading device arranged below the boom on the land side for cooperating with said load carrying device and with container transport vehicles, said loading device comprising at least two loading stations comprising respective bridge members movable on the ground independent of one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boom, said bridge members being parallel to one another and to the boom, each said bridge member having a longitudinally central area carrying a receiving platform for an ISO container which can be set down and picked up by said load carrying device, each said receiving platform being rotatable about a vertical axis, said method comprising

• moving a first said loading station in said direction transverse to said boom to a transfer station,
• loading an ISO container from a transport vehicle onto said receiving platform,
• rotating said receiving platform into orthogonal alignment with the bridge member,
• lifting the ISO container from the receiving platform by said load carrying device and transporting said ISO container to said ship,
• rotating the receiving platform of a second said loading station into parallel alignment with the bridge member,
• while said ISO container is being transported to said ship, loading an ISO container from a transport vehicle onto said receiving platform of said second loading station, and
• repeating the steps alternately so that one of said loading stations is always being loaded while another one of said loading stations is being off-loaded.