A control system for a quay crane a mounting platform position acquisition device, a land-side position acquisition device, a transportation vehicle position acquisition device, and a control device. The control system 30 is configured such that, when the control device predicts that a standby time will occur for a land-side cargo handling device based on a vehicle stop position, a current position of a relay mounting platform, a current position of the land-side cargo handling device, and a current position of an in-terminal transportation vehicle, the control device performs control that moves the relay mounting platform to a relay position which equalizes an actual land-side cycle time for the land-side cargo handling device including the standby time and a sea-side cycle time for a sea-side cargo handling device with each other.

There is provided shipping container handling systems and methods that maximize the number of containers that can be stored on a predetermined property, as well as increasing the efficiency of the transfer of containers between transshipment vehicles, such as cargo ships/barges, trucks, airline, rail systems and the like.

The disclosed solution provides for an inland port that is configured to load and unload cargo using autonomous systems (including autonomous tractors). The inland port may be serviced by a hyperloop network (of hyperloop routes) between the seaport and the inland port. The disclosed solution may rely on autonomous hyperloop vehicles in the hyperloop network to transport the cargo containers between the seaport and the inland port. At both the seaport and the inland port, autonomous tractors may, in some implementations, be utilized to load and unload the cargo that will be carried by the hyperloop vehicle and/or the truck.

A storage system includes a storage grid structure and multiple container handling vehicles. The storage grid structure includes vertical column profiles defining multiple storage columns, in which storage containers can be stored one on top of another in vertical stacks, and at least one transfer column, the column profiles are interconnected at their upper ends by top rails forming a horizontal top rail grid upon which the container handling vehicles may move in two perpendicular directions, the container handling vehicles are able to retrieve storage containers from, and store storage containers in, the storage columns, and transport the storage containers on the storage grid structure. The storage grid structure includes at least one horizontal transfer section. The storage system includes multiple container transfer vehicles and transfer rails forming a transfer rail grid upon which the container transfer vehicles may move in at least one horizontal direction.

A container accessing station is configured to offer multiple access points where access to each access point may be permitted through an upper working surface of the container accessing station to an underlying container that has been delivered to the access point. The container accessing station includes one or more working surface sections, access panels and blanking-off panels. Each working surface section has a common attachment configuration to allow either the access panel or the blanking-off panel to be fitted as part of the container accessing station at any of the multiple access points.

A storage system is described where goods are stored in containers and the containers are stored in stacks. Above the stacks runs a grid network of tracks on which load handling devices run. The load handling devices take containers from the stacks and deposit then at alternative locations in the stacks or deposit then at stations where goods may be picked out. Each container may be provided with connectors having a push fit male connector located at a top edge of the container and a female connector at a bottom edge of the container. Adjacent containers in a stack can be linked by routing means, which form moldings on each container. The connectors can also have spring-loaded contacts. The provision of these services within individual containers rather than across the system as a whole, allows for flexibility in storage whilst reducing cost and inefficiency.

A method, system and communication arrangement for container handling equipment (CHEs) is described, the CHEs configured to operate within an area comprising a plurality of container spots arranged in rows and columns. A first CHE receives a message from a terminal operating system, the message including a plurality of jobs to be performed by the first CHE within said area, the plurality of jobs comprising instructions to move a container and identifying a container spot of the plurality of container spots. The first CHE receives, from a second CHE within the determined area, a request message to share a job of the plurality of jobs. The first CHE transmits a message to the second CHE responsive to the request message to share a job. Communication with the second CHE may be autonomous from messages received from the terminal operating system and/or manual triggering.

A storage system is described where goods are stored in containers (10) and the containers (10) are stored in stacks. Above the stacks runs a grid network of tracks on which load handling devices run. The containers (10) may be provided with one or more of the following services: power, power control, heating, lighting, cooling, sensing means, and data logging means. The provision of these services within individual containers rather than across the system as a whole, allows for flexibility in storage whilst reducing cost and inefficiency.

A crane system includes an elevated track spanning a first location to a second location; at least one spreader assembly configured to move along the elevated track using a tram assembly unit, and to move a shipping container from a first storage area to a second storage area, wherein the first storage area and the second storage area are between the first location and the second location; and a controller configured to identify the shipping container and control a movement of the shipping container using the at least one spreader assembly.

Containers can be stored, retrieved, or moved in multilevel storage racks of a transfer facility by storage and retrieval units that can travel in aisles extending parallel to respective rows of compartments of storage units of the multilevel storage rack that, for longitudinal side storage of the containers, has a plurality of storage units of a depth corresponding to a container width that are consecutively arranged in rows longitudinally of the containers along one aisle side and are each separated transversely by one aisle. The storage and retrieval units can move back forth in the aisles and have raisable and lowerable telescopic grabs that can be extended and retracted transversely to the aisles for suspending a container. Corners supports in each of the compartments support the containers only at corners of the containers.