Port Economics, Management and A comprehensive analysis of the port

industry
Policy

CONTENTS ‣ III. PORT

Depth and Surface Distribution TERMINALS ‣ Chapter 3.4 –
Container Terminal Design and
of a Sample of Container Equipment ‣ Depth and
Surface Distribution of a
Terminals Sample of Container Terminals

Depth and Surface Distribution of a Sample of Container Terminals

Source: Web sites of port authorities and terminal operators.

There are technical constraints in accommodating large containerships,

mainly related to terminal depth and terminal surface. While a terminal
could have sufficient depth to handle a large ship, it could be lacking in a
sufficient terminal surface to store a large inflow and outflow of
containers (and vice versa). This underlines that although the draft is an
important issue, a port could face acute congestion and be unable to
technically accommodate large ships if its yard space is insufficient. For
container terminals built in recent years (particularly in Pacific Asia),
depth and available space considerations were of prime importance in
site selection. This is notably the case for transshipment hubs where the Theo Notteboom, Athanasios
nautical profile dominates site selection instead of hinterland access. Pallis and Jean-Paul Rodrigue
(2022) Port Economics,
A sample of over 500 container terminals located in all of the world’s Management and Policy, New
major markets reveals that one-third of the terminals are below York: Routledge, 690 pages /

Panamax depth (slightly above 12 meters; 40 feet). 62.3% of the facilities 218 illustrations. ISBN

have a depth below 14 meters (45 feet), making them unable to 9780367331559.

accommodate most Post-Panamax containerships. 37.5% of container

terminals can handle Post-Panamax containerships in the range of 8,000
TEU. Still, few facilities (7.8%) have a depth above 16 meters (50 feet),
doi.org/10.4324/978042931818
which limits the service network configuration of the largest 4
containerships (above 14,000 TEU).
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 In terms of surface, 40.7% of the terminals have enough yard space
(above 40 hectares) to handle very large containerships, with two major CONTENTS
categories standing out. The first corresponds to terminals between 10
to 30 hectares, which relate either to standard standalone terminals or I. PORTS & MARITIME
to a single pier concession within a larger terminal facility (e.g. Laem SHIPPING
Chabang, Kaohsiung). The second category corresponds to mega II. CONTEMPORARY PORTS
terminals above 100 hectares operated as single facilities by a global III. PORT TERMINALS
terminal operator (e.g. Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas). IV. PORT GOVERNANCE
V. PORT COMPETITION
VI. PORT PERFORMANCE
VII. PORT POLICIES &
DEVELOPMENT
VIII. PORT MARKETS
IX. CASE STUDIES

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Bridge Collapse on Access to Its
Main Port Terminal Facilities
The Digital Transformation of
Ports (chapter update)
Inland Ports (chapter update)
 presentations, commercial
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Port Hinterlands,
Regionalization and Corridors
(chapter update)
Direct, Indirect and Induced
Economic Effects of Ports

Copyright © 2020-24, Dr. Theo Notteboom, Dr. Athanasios Pallis and Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue.