Container terminal apparatus and method

A method of storing and moving empty containers in a high-rise container storage, shipping and receiving installation including a high-rise loaded container storage facility having a pier bank and an upland bank of spaces for holding loaded containers separated from one another and having container access openings and an empty container storage structure located separated from said loaded container storage facility, comprising:

• positioning a plurality of identical empty containers of the same ocean carrier directly one on top of each other in vertical stacks in cells in said empty container storage structure at said location separated from the loaded container storage facility, and moving said empty containers from the vertical stacks to an ocean carrier through the loaded container storage facility.

A container handling and storage apparatus having automated rail car fast transport balconies, first and second spaced banks of container storage spaces, said storage spaces arranged in a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal rows, each said storage space having open opposite ends forming container access openings, said first bank of storage spaces having a seaward side and said second bank of storage spaces having an upland side, a bridge crane space between said banks of spaces, and a plurality of automated bridge cranes located in said bridge crane space, each said bridge crane being moveable in a zone of operation, a pier crane on the seaward side of said first bank of spaces, said storage spaces including a lower row of spaces and at least one elevated row of spaces above said lower row of spaces, said automated rail car fast transport balconies positioned along both the seaward side of said first bank and the upland side of said second bank and located at said elevated row of spaces, and a high speed transport means including automated rail cars on each said fast transport balcony for moving containers at a high speed horizontally past said access openings in at least one zone of operation to a space in another zone of operation to bypass at least one bridge crane in said space between said first and second banks.

A method of moving containers in a storage facility having two banks of container storage spaces, said storage spaces arranged in a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal rows, each space having ends with container access openings, fast transport balconies provided along the banks, a bridge crane space formed between opposing first sides of said banks, and at least two bridge cranes in said bridge crane space, each said bridge crane working in a distinct zone of container spaces, the banks each having a horizontal length and a vertical height, each fast transport balcony extending across a horizontal row of container access openings,

• the method comprising the steps of:
• placing a container on one of said fast transport balconies, moving the container on said fast transport balcony externally of said bank of spaces past said outwardly facing container access openings of said container storage spaces along a second side of the bank opposite said first side, whereby the container is moved past the zone of operation of at least one of said bridge cranes to a space in another zone, hence bypassing at least one of the bridge cranes.