RTG Crane for Container Yard Operations

RTG Crane for Container Yard Operations

Henan Mine Crane · Container Terminal and Inland Yard Systems

RTG Crane for Container Yard Operations

Rubber-tyred gantry cranes for high-density ISO container stacking, truck exchange and flexible block-to-block deployment.

Henan Mine Crane configures each RTG around container mass, 5+1 to 7+1 block geometry, stacking height, peak moves, pavement capacity, wind exposure, power infrastructure, automation interfaces and contracted acceptance targets.

RTG crane for high-density container yard stacking
RTG performance is established by the complete block geometry, truck interface, fleet plan, power system and terminal operating method.

PUBLISHED CAPACITY

35 t, 40.5 t, 50 t or Custom

COMMON LAYOUTS

5+1, 6+1 and 7+1

POWER OPTIONS

Diesel, Hybrid and Electric

WORK CLASS

A6–A8

What Is an RTG Crane for a Container Yard?

An RTG crane, or rubber-tyred gantry crane, is a mobile container-stacking crane carried by multi-wheel rubber-tyred bogies. It straddles several container rows and a truck or terminal-tractor lane, lifts containers with a telescopic spreader and travels along the storage block without fixed runway rails.

A typical container-yard starting point is 40.5 t under spreader, five to seven container rows plus one vehicle lane, and one-over-four to one-over-six stacking. Final capacity, span, lift height, speed, power source and fleet quantity follow the approved yard plan and operating model.

RTGs are used in marine terminals, inland container depots, rail-intermodal facilities and logistics hubs where storage density and block mobility are both required. The absence of travel rails supports phased expansion and equipment relocation between compatible blocks.

rubber-tyred gantry crane handling ISO containers in a yard block
Hoisting, trolley travel and rubber-tyred gantry travel combine within one container-yard handling cycle.

RTG Crane Selection Considerations

Container and Lift Profile

ISO size mix, maximum gross mass, high-cube share, reefer volume, out-of-gauge handling and single- or twin-lift operation establish capacity and spreader scope.

Yard Block Geometry

Row count, truck lane, stack height, row pitch, block length, transfer positions and block-end turning area define the crane envelope.

Throughput and Duty

Annual TEU, peak moves, rehandle ratio, operating shifts, productive hours, transfer-vehicle demand and availability target control mechanism duty and fleet size.

Power and Emissions

Grid capacity, fuel and electricity costs, block-change frequency, cable routes, charging strategy and local emissions targets affect power architecture.

Pavement and Environment

Allowable wheel load, pavement settlement, gradient, drainage, wind, temperature, salt fog, rainfall, dust and seismic criteria require coordinated civil and crane design.

Control and TOS Integration

Cab, remote or automated operation; positioning; OCR; anti-sway; communications; diagnostics; TOS/ECS interfaces and recovery modes require defined ownership.

RTG Crane Configurations Compared

Configuration Operating Strength Project Check Typical Yard Pattern
Diesel-Electric RTG Independent power and frequent block changes Fuel use, engine service, noise and local emissions Developing yards or blocks without reliable grid access
Hybrid RTG Mobile operation with energy recovery and reduced engine loading Battery lifecycle, thermal management and control complexity High-utilization blocks requiring mobility and fuel reduction
Cable-Reel Electric RTG Low local emissions, low noise and reduced engine maintenance Substation, cable route, changeover and block-transfer method Stable long blocks with limited cross-block movement
Busbar Electric RTG Continuous grid power along permanent blocks Conductor infrastructure, transfer interface and isolation safety Permanent high-throughput container blocks
Battery-Electric or Automated RTG Zero local tailpipe emissions and automation-ready control Charging cycle, battery sizing, controlled traffic and system integration Electrified terminals with mature TOS and safety zoning

Compare diesel and electric RTG lifecycle factors →

Published RTG Crane Specifications

The following values are the published Henan Mine Crane RTG product-family range. Contract values remain drawing-specific because span, lift height, speed and power depend on the approved yard geometry and duty cycle.

Parameter Published Range Project Definition
Lifting Capacity 35 t, 40.5 t, 50 t or customized State under-spreader or hook basis
Span 8–35 m or customized Rows, truck lane and clearances
Lifting Height 6–21 m or customized Stack height and service clearance
Work Class A6–A8 Load spectrum, cycles and design life
Published Temperature −25°C to +40°C Site extremes and component package
double-girder RTG crane structure for container yard duty
Double-girder RTG arrangement with trolley, telescopic spreader and rubber-tyred travel system.

Planning Speed Range

The Henan Mine Crane RTG specification guide lists typical planning ranges of 12–25 m/min for loaded hoisting, 30–60 m/min for trolley travel and 45–90 m/min for gantry travel. Final values follow drive sizing, stability, anti-sway performance and terminal traffic analysis.

View the Henan Mine Crane RTG product family →

5+1, 6+1 and 7+1 RTG Yard Layouts

RTG layout shorthand states the number of container rows plus the vehicle lane under the gantry. A 6+1 RTG spans six storage rows and one truck or terminal-tractor lane. Wider spans increase block coverage but also affect trolley travel, structural mass, wheel loads, drive power and wind response.

Layout Yard Effect Engineering Focus Typical Application
5 Rows + 1 Lane Narrower block and shorter trolley path Brownfield geometry and moderate density Inland depot or constrained terminal
6 Rows + 1 Lane Balanced density and truck interface Cycle time, lane clearance and wheel load General marine or intermodal yard
7 Rows + 1 Lane Higher storage density per block Longer span, trolley travel and pavement demand High-volume terminal with planned blocks

Stacking Height

“One over five” means five stored containers with clearance to carry one container above the stack. High-cube containers, pavement tolerances, tyre deflection, spreader depth, twistlock engagement, structural deflection and operating clearance all enter the vertical envelope.

One-over-four reduces structural height and wheel load. One-over-five commonly balances density and access. One-over-six increases storage density but also raises wind exposure, lift height and rehandle sensitivity.

RTG crane operating above container rows and a truck lane
Row count, vehicle-lane clearance and block-end transfer space are approved as one operating geometry.

RTG, RMG and Straddle Carrier Compared

System Mobility Storage Model Infrastructure Strongest Fit
RTG Crane Moves between compatible blocks Dense multi-row blocks Wheel paths and optional electrical works Flexible allocation and phased growth
RMG Crane Fixed to a rail runway Wide, repeatable blocks Rails, foundations and power distribution Permanent high-throughput layouts and automation
Straddle Carrier Free-routing carrier Transport and stacking by one machine Traffic lanes and maintenance facilities Fast point-to-point movement and flexible routing

Compare RTG and straddle carrier operations →   Compare RTG and RMG project cost →

Spreader, Anti-Sway, Automation and Yard Infrastructure

Container Interface

A telescopic spreader normally covers 20 ft and 40 ft ISO containers; 45 ft handling, twin lift or special interfaces are specified separately. The rated-load definition must state whether capacity is measured below the spreader and whether spreader self-weight is excluded.

Motion Control

Rope geometry, drive control and active anti-sway reduce residual motion. The performance specification should define allowable sway, positioning tolerance, twistlock confirmation, landing logic and operating behavior under wind.

Automation Scope

Remote or automated RTG operation requires controlled traffic, reliable container identity, communications, safety zoning and exception handling. TOS job data, positioning, cameras, OCR, collision control, recovery modes and acceptance scenarios form one integrated scope.

RTG crane spreader and anti-sway control during container handling
Spreader control, anti-sway and target positioning directly affect cycle repeatability.

Pavement and Wheel Loads

Maximum and minimum wheel loads, tyre pressure, dynamic factors, settlement limits, braking cases and storm parking loads are issued for civil coordination.

Steering and Block Change

Straight, cross, pivot or coordinated steering affects turning radius, block-end width, alignment control and the approved transfer route.

Wind and Marine Protection

Operating wind, out-of-service wind, storm travel, anchoring, coating system, enclosure protection and salt-fog exposure require site-specific definition.

Public Fleet Reference

55 Hybrid RTGs for Savannah Ocean Terminal

RTG crane fleet manufacturing and container terminal project planning
Representative RTG project image; the Savannah data is drawn from the public port-authority announcement.

Published Project Scope

Georgia Ports Authority announced a US$170 million purchase of 55 hybrid RTGs for the Port of Savannah Ocean Terminal in 2023. The published operating geometry was six containers high and seven containers wide.

The authority reported a 47% fuel-consumption reduction compared with an all-diesel crane, estimated annual savings of 8,800 gallons of fuel per crane and an annual emissions reduction of 127 tons per crane.

This public industry reference is not presented as a Henan Mine Crane delivery. It shows how fleet procurement combines equipment, hybrid power, terminal requirements, delivery program and lifecycle emissions objectives.

RTG Crane Price for Container Yard Projects

Public listings support preliminary budgeting but do not represent a delivered Henan Mine Crane quotation. Capacity, span, stacking height, power system, automation, spreader scope, marine protection, destination, civil and electrical works, commissioning and acceptance testing change the final contract value.

Public Reference Configuration or Scope Published Figure Budget Meaning
Manufacturer guide, June 2026 40.5 t conventional diesel, manual US$165,000–205,000 Crane-level market guide
Manufacturer guide, June 2026 40.5 t grid-powered, semi-automatic US$195,000–235,000 Site electrical works require separate scope
Manufacturer guide, June 2026 40.5 t diesel-lithium hybrid, semi-automatic US$225,000–265,000 Crane-level market guide
Manufacturer guide, June 2026 40.5 t full-electric, automated US$265,000–305,000 Automation and interface boundary require confirmation
Southeast Asia guide, 2025 40 t 6-wide diesel to 45 t 6-wide full-electric US$280,000–550,000 Regional guide across multiple configurations
Georgia Ports Authority, 2022 US$30.25 million for 12 RTGs and other handling equipment US$2.52 million order-total equivalent per RTG Fleet-order context, not a crane-only unit price
Georgia Ports Authority, 2023 US$170 million for 55 hybrid RTGs US$3.09 million project-total equivalent per RTG Major fleet program, not a hardware-only unit price

Public reference record: WEIHUA RTG Crane Price Guide, 2 June 2026; Dongqi Crane Southeast Asia RTG guide, 2025; Georgia Ports Authority announcements, 2022 and 2023. Calculated equivalents equal the announced project total divided by the announced crane count and do not establish a standalone equipment price.

Engineering and Procurement Deliverables

Design Package

General arrangement, wheel loads, swept path, mechanism calculations, electrical single-line diagram, interface schedule and coating specification.

Manufacturing Quality

Inspection and test plan, material traceability, welding records, NDT reports, electrical checks and factory functional testing.

Site Acceptance

Erection supervision, no-load and rated-load tests, safety tests, interface trials, training, spare parts and handover records.

Review RTG manufacturer qualification criteria →

Technical Enquiry

RTG Crane RFQ Checklist

The following information allows structure, mechanisms, power, fleet quantity and commercial scope to be priced on a consistent basis.

  1. Terminal type, location and applicable standards
  2. Yard drawing with block length, rows, lane width and turning area
  3. Container sizes, maximum gross mass and high-cube percentage
  4. Required 5+1, 6+1, 7+1 or custom geometry
  5. Stacking height and clearance above the top tier
  6. Single-lift, twin-lift, reefer and out-of-gauge requirements
  1. Annual TEU, peak hourly moves and operating shifts
  2. Diesel, hybrid, grid-electric or battery preference
  3. Available voltage, frequency and grid capacity
  4. Cab, remote or automated control and TOS interface
  5. Temperature, wind, corrosion, seismic and rainfall data
  6. Destination, Incoterm, erection and acceptance scope

Frequently Asked Questions

What capacity is normally selected for an RTG container crane?

40.5 t under spreader is a common baseline for loaded ISO containers. Henan Mine Crane publishes 35 t, 40.5 t and 50 t ratings, with project-specific customization.

What does a 6+1 RTG crane mean?

It means the crane spans six container rows plus one truck or terminal-tractor lane. Clearances and row pitch establish the final span.

How high can an RTG crane stack containers?

RTGs are commonly configured from one-over-three to one-over-six. Henan Mine Crane publishes a 6–21 m lifting-height range, subject to the approved stack and clearance envelope.

How much does an RTG crane cost?

Public 2025–2026 manufacturer guides reviewed for this page range from US$165,000 to US$550,000 across diesel, hybrid, electric and automated configurations. Delivered fleet programs can be substantially higher when infrastructure, integration and service are included.

Can an RTG crane move between yard blocks?

Yes. Rubber tyres and steering modes permit block changes when the route, turning area, pavement, clearances and power-disconnection method are designed for the movement.

Can an RTG crane be automated?

Yes. Assisted, remote and automated operation can be configured with positioning, anti-sway, cameras, safety zones, communications and TOS integration.

Written by: Henan Mine Crane Technical Sales Team
Technically reviewed by: Henan Mine Crane Port Crane Engineering Team
Last reviewed: 2026

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