Disassemble and rotate the STS crane: the machine lifts each container from the ship
Each imported container passes through a rotating crane (ship-to-shore, STS) before boarding the truck. The model below allows you to rotate, disassemble each part and see the entire cycle: the car drives to the ship, the frame locks the four corners, lifts, runs to shore, lowers to the trailer.
Drag to rotate · scroll or pinch to zoom · tap a label to read the part.
10 main parts of a rotating crane
| Part | Doing what |
|---|---|
| Crane legs and gate frames | Four steel legs form the gate frame; Tractors run underneath to pick up and return containers. |
| Rail wheel assembly | Both cranes move along the wharf on two rails to reach the ship's cargo hold. |
| Boom | The part that extends out towards the ship. When not handling cargo, the boom is raised to allow the ship to enter and exit the wharf. |
| Backreach | The beam on the shore side allows cars to run into the loading area behind the crane legs and support the engine room. |
| A-shaped top and tie wire | Highest peak frame; The tie bars from here hold the main boom and the rear beam, and are also the pulling point to lift the boom. |
| Engine room | Contains the lifting winch motor, car winch, electrical cabinet and inverter - the mechanical brain of the crane. |
| Xe con (trolley) | Run along the boom and rear beam, carrying the winch assembly and shooting frame from the ship to shore and vice versa. |
| Driver cabin | Hang under the car, run after it; The driver looks straight down at the frame through the glass floor. |
| Hoist cable | Cable system connecting the winch in the engine room to the shooting frame; Cable length changes according to lifting height. |
| Shooting frame (spreader) | The frame can be extended according to 20 or 40 foot containers, locking the four corners with a twistlock. |
Where should you look when viewing the cycle?
- Cycle time determines dock productivity. Every second the car runs and the lowering and lifting frame is multiplied by the number of turns of the entire train. This is the number the ports measure and compare to each other, not the nominal lifting capacity.
- Cranes are usually waiting for vehicles, not vehicles waiting for cranes. The shutter frame is lowered but the trailer has not yet entered the lane, the whole cycle stops. The blockage is usually located in the tractor line on the shore and in the yard, not on the crane.
- Landing correctly on the ship is the hardest part. Locking all four corner latches on a rocking ship is a time-consuming and skill-consuming part — the reason ports invest in remote control and positioning support systems.
- The main boom must be erect. Wharf cranes must give way to the ship's bow and superstructure when arriving and departing — so the crane's reach and clearance limit the size of the wharf ship that can handle it.
⚖️ The model is a cube illustrating the general structure of the STS crane, not built according to the drawings of any company or port; Scale and size in the scene are not used to infer specifications. Model built using Three.js library (MIT license).
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This simulation stops at the principle. For a specific project, CGD builds the model on real operating data and floor plan drawings.
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