Fascinating viewing.

[G-CPTN]

I've always liked looking at maps, and now there is the ability to view these as satellite images.
Here is a small section of hilifta's working domain:- http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-36.842385...5&z=20&l=0&m=s

You can pan around it (and zoom it), however I keep seeing things that raise questions (which I'm sure that hilifta can answer).

First, I can see a truck parked in a lane close to the side of a ship:-
Do the dockside cranes lift containers from/to road vehicles - or do the containers have to be marshalled by the straddle cranes?
I imagine that the reach of the dockside cranes is limited (apart from being able to reach the far side of a ship) such that they can only 'drop' the containers between the span of their support 'legs'.
Do they handle containers singly or maybe as a stack of three or four?
Is it then up to the straddles to disperse them to wherever they are to be stacked?
How long are containers 'stored'? (I imagine that it takes a while to assemble the full complement before the arrival of a ship, but afterwards the land transport waiting to collect them might be keen to remove them as soon as possible).
Do the straddles assemble a 'pool' of containers within reach of the dockside crane(s) when a ship is due for collection? - or are all ships needing unloading before reloading? There seems to be stacks of containers at the south end of the quay.
I can see two dockside cranes working on the ship alongside. Is that the maximum (or does it depend on the length of the ship)?

Are there different areas for trucks delivering and for trucks collecting? (or can a truck wait and collect a container after delivering?)
The possible permutations would seem to cause confusion. Can the system handle delivery and collection simultaneously?

I'm sure there'll be more questions, but that's probably enough to be going on with . . .

[hilifta]

Hi ther GC,

You'll have to give me a couple of days to answer this one. I have just arrived home after a double shift, 6.30am start 11pm finish, and I'm doing the same tomoro. So right now it's a quick look at the site, upload a couple of photos and then it's off to bed as I'm in serious need of some sleep!!
I have 2 days off Wed/Thurs, so will reply by then, maybe sooner.

Rgds/Mike

[G-CPTN]

There appears to be a railway close by - I'm surprised that there isn't a rail-transfer facility.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-36.848255...6&z=17&l=0&m=b

[G-CPTN]

These containers seem to be stacked too close together to allow straddles to access them:-
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-36.846607...7&z=19&l=0&m=b

Presumably they use a side-loader?
Are they empties?

[hilifta]

Hi there GC,

Have just had a look at the photo, quite impressive.
it is however about 2yrs old. It looks as though the new seal has just been laid at the top right of the picture, plus the Custom X-ray truck is still where our extended car parking now is.
So question 1;
We do get trucks alongside the vessel for stores, repairs, slop pumping etc. The only time we unload or load direct to trucks (DMV) is for explosive boxes which have to go off wharf immediately. Large OD cargo, boats, yacht masts, etc which are landed straight on to trucks and are taken directly off the dock. Very big yachts and launches are often landed direct into the water. This is usually because they won't fit between the crane legs.
The reach of G and H cranes is 22metres, and for I,J and K it is 25metres.
They can land cargo into backreach, (behind the legs), but usually it is only lids (hatch covers), that are put there.
Q2;
The cranes only lift 1x40ft box or 2x20ft boxes. Some cranes in Asia can lift 4x20's although I am not sure how that all works. In Singapore last year I did see them loading 2x20ftrs with one hanging under the other by the twistlocks!! Highly dangerous, twistlocks are not made for that.
Q3;
Thought I had covered this in a previous article. We receive a list of all the cargo coming off and the planners decide where it is go into the terminal. We punch in the number of a discharge box and this position comes up on our screen and that's where we take it. For imports the plan of work for the vessel controls where and when we pick up boxes. We are assigned to a specific crane. Generally a hold is unloaded and then back loaded, and the crane moves on to another hatch. There has to be a working plan for the vessel because two cranes can't work in adjacent hatches, there has to be 1 hatch in between the ones they are working.
If you look at the crane boom, and then look back to the crane body, it is much bigger. That is why there has to be a hatch in between.
The yard is planned so that export boxes are stored closest to the berth when they are received, and imports closer to the road and rail grids. Well, that's the theory anyway. Doesn't always work like that.
The stacks you see at the end of the berth are an overflow area, at the moment they are full of reefers on power. At this time time of the years reefer spots are at a premium.
Q4,
Import boxes are given 3 free days to be collected, after that they pay demurrage, big time. We can't afford to have them waiting around too long. Space is too valuable. Export boxes are usually given about a week. This can vary due to circumstances.
Q5;
The numbers of cranes does depend on the length of the vessel, Maersk Radford or Vega Gotland for example can only work two cranes. They will take 3 but then they would be so close together the straddles could not access the middle crane. So it would be pointless.
Last night we had 3 on Bunga Reya Dua Belas, 2 on the MOL Sparkle, when the Sparkle finished her 2 cranes shifted on to the Bunga and she then had 5 cranes. But she is about 260mtres long.

Q6;
Look to the right of the photo and you will see 2 road grids, A and B. Trucks are sent to either grid, depending on traffic. If they are full a straddle will be sent to unload them, and at the same time another straddle will be picking up a box from the stacks to load him.
Sometimes of course they are only delivering or picking up a box.
Q7;
That rail lines you see is the rail transfer facility. The rail rakes are unloaded by toplifting hoists and put on the ground where the rail straddles put them in special stacks for us. We move them to the terminal as we can be spared. Usually after a ship has finished there is a never ending stream of straddles heading for rail.
Q8;
At the bottom right those boxes stacked closer together are our empty yard and is serviced by toplifting hoists that can stack 7 high. (Mty's only tho!) The Port Co makes a huge amount out of this bit of land as there are so many boxes in a given area.

I'll complete this here and then I'll do another with some other port history and other info. I'll try and explain the photo a bit more.

Rgds/Mike

[G-CPTN]

Many thanks for your informative reply.

It might seem mundane daily stuff to you, but I find it interesting.

I was born an engineer (or at least I inherited the engineer gene) and have always wanted to know 'how things work'. At first it ended with whatever I'd opened up 'not working again', but over time I progressed (although I don't do electronics).

In addition to vehicular stuff I've undertaken most of the domestic jobs (plumbing, heating, electrics). My most satisfying domestic job is wallpapering, least enthusiastic is painting (too messy!).

I've built trailers, constructed a 'towbars' (strong enough to tow a caravan) and used to do all servicing and vehicle repairs (before they introduced electronics).

I recall my father 'giving up' too when his car had no carburettor, no distributor and no contact-breaker points to fettle when it wouldn't start.

Keep the anecdotes coming, never being a seaman I don't know much about your work.

Off now to study the layout of your railway . . .

Having done that, I presume that the imagery was taken when the railway was 'under construction' - ie being converted from passenger terminal to freight terminal, as there doesn't seem to be any significant activity (or facilities).

I thought I spotted laden trucks queuing - but it seems more likely that they are just containers lined alongside the road:-
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-36.846620...1&z=19&l=0&m=b

[hilifta]

A short history of the port. The Ferguson Terminal, on the right (eastern end), used to be the flying boat base from the 1930's through to the end of the big flying boats in 1961. Our admin building used to be the engine shop and admin office for TEAL, the forerunner of Air NZ.
Just to the left of the building were the flying boat hangars and on the current shoreline between Ferguson and the next wharf, Freyberg were the passenger terminals for TEAL and Pan Am. Do a Google search on TEAL Mechanics Bay and you'll see the history and lots of photos from those days.
The upside down V shaped wharf is Freyberg, then to the west is Jellicoe, and then Bledisloe. The next wharf would have been Kings but that was demolished when the area between the two was filled in to create the current Bledisloe Terminal.
Bledisloe is currently made up of B1, on the eastern side of the original Bledisloe wharf, only the linkspan is there now and it is not used for containers at all. On the western side is B2, and this also is not used for containers. It was at this berth that the windfarm gear was landed. The 2 linkspans date from the days of the old Union Steamship Co RoRo ships.
The main berth is B3, with 3 of the old Ferguson cranes.
Bledisloe is a small and very cramped terminal and is operated from Fergy.
In between you can see the milk powder store, then our workshops and finally the store where the paper and timber products are packed. The final large long store to the right was demolished late last year and is now where are rail boxes are stored.
You can probably see now where I am taking my photos.

All the wharves are named after former Governors General, other wharves going further to the west in order are, Marsden, Captain Cook, Queens, Princes and Hobson (Now the Maritime Museum).

Hope this all helps and is of some interest, any questions, fire away.

Rgds/Mike (hilfta)

[G-CPTN]

Is this the customs vehicle?
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=-36.847025...2&z=20&l=0&m=b

[hilifta]

Yes, that's it, right in the middle of that take. I do have photos of it on here, look under Mercedes.

You have also asked for info re those "shunters" as you call them. I have posted 2 photos of them on here. Have a look under Capacity, thats the brand.

Mike

[G-CPTN]

Thanks, Mike.