{"id":99703,"date":"2026-10-22T17:14:39","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T17:14:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/how-container-ships-are-loaded"},"modified":"2026-10-22T20:03:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T20:03:06","slug":"how-container-ships-are-loaded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/how-container-ships-are-loaded","title":{"rendered":"How Are Container Ships Loaded? Ship-to-Shore Cranes and Port Operations Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<head><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n            \"headline\": \"How Are Container Ships Loaded? Ship-to-Shore Cranes and Port Operations Explained\",\n            \"description\": \"How are container ships loaded and unloaded? Ship-to-shore cranes, stowage plans, lashing, straddle carriers and how many containers a port moves per hour.\",\n            \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/how-container-ships-are-loaded\",\n            \"image\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/Cargo-Ship-Travel-Cargoholidays3-1024x682.jpg\",\n            \"datePublished\": \"2026-10-22\",\n            \"dateModified\": \"2026-10-22\",\n            \"inLanguage\": \"en-GB\",\n            \"author\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\"\n            },\n            \"publisher\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\",\n                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n            \"mainEntity\": [\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How are container ships loaded?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Ship-to-shore cranes lift containers from trucks or carriers on the quay into planned slots on the ship, below deck first, and then on deck.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How long does it take to load a container ship?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Usually 12&ndash;48 hours per port call, depending on the number of moves and cranes.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How many containers can a crane move per hour?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Typically 25&ndash;35 moves per hour for a single crane, and more with twin-lift spreaders.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How are containers secured on a ship?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"With twist locks between containers, plus lashing bars and turnbuckles on deck stacks. Below deck, cell guides hold them in place.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Can passengers watch cargo operations?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Yes, from safe areas, following crew instructions.\"\n                    }\n                }\n            ]\n        }\n    ]\n}<\/script>\n<\/head><div class=\"ch-post\"><p class=\"ch-updated\">Last updated: 22 October 2026<\/p><p><strong>Watching a container ship being loaded is one of the most fascinating sights in the modern world.<\/strong> Giant cranes lift boxes weighing up to 30 tonnes on and off a ship in under two minutes each, around the clock. Freighter passengers often get a front-row seat. Here is how it works.<\/p><h2>Ship-to-shore cranes<\/h2><p>The huge blue, red or white cranes lining a container quay are <strong>ship-to-shore (STS) cranes<\/strong>, also called quay cranes or gantry cranes.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Height:<\/strong> the largest are taller than a 40-storey building when the boom is raised<\/li><li><strong>Outreach:<\/strong> booms can reach across 24 or more rows of containers on the widest ships<\/li><li><strong>Lifting capacity:<\/strong> typically 65 tonnes or more under the spreader; some lift two or more containers at once<\/li><li><strong>Speed:<\/strong> a skilled operator typically makes 25&ndash;35 moves per hour<\/li><li><strong>Remote operation:<\/strong> at many modern terminals, operators work from a control room instead of a cab high above the ship<\/li><\/ul><p>Ports such as Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton and Liverpool use these cranes, and London Gateway is one of the UK&rsquo;s most automated terminals. Read about <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/freighter-travel-from-the-uk\/\">freighter travel from the UK<\/a> to see them from the deck.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AdobeStock_251096093-1024x575.jpeg\" alt=\"Ship-to-shore cranes working a container ship at a terminal\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Ship-to-shore cranes working a container ship at a terminal\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">Several giant cranes work a large ship at the same time.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>The stowage plan<\/h2><p>Before a ship arrives, planners create a <strong>stowage plan<\/strong>, or bay plan. Every container gets a precise slot identified by:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Bay:<\/strong> the position along the length of the ship<\/li><li><strong>Row:<\/strong> the position across the width<\/li><li><strong>Tier:<\/strong> the height in the stack<\/li><\/ul><p>The plan balances weight for stability, keeps containers for the next port accessible, separates dangerous goods, and gives refrigerated containers power points.<\/p><h2>Step by step: loading a container ship<\/h2><ol><li><strong>The ship berths<\/strong>, and gangs of lashers and stevedores board.<\/li><li><strong>Lashing is removed<\/strong> from containers that are being discharged.<\/li><li><strong>Cranes discharge<\/strong> import containers onto trucks or straddle carriers on the quay.<\/li><li><strong>Hatch covers are lifted<\/strong> to reach containers stowed below deck.<\/li><li><strong>Export containers are loaded<\/strong> in the planned sequence, below deck first.<\/li><li><strong>Hatch covers go back on<\/strong>, and deck stacks are loaded on top.<\/li><li><strong>Lashing gangs secure the deck stacks<\/strong> with twist locks and lashing bars.<\/li><li><strong>The chief officer checks stability<\/strong>, and the ship departs, often within 24&ndash;48 hours.<\/li><\/ol><h2>Moving containers around the terminal<\/h2><ul><li><strong>Straddle carriers:<\/strong> tall vehicles that drive over a container and lift it<\/li><li><strong>Rubber-tyred and rail-mounted gantries:<\/strong> stack containers in yard blocks<\/li><li><strong>Automated guided vehicles:<\/strong> driverless carriers at advanced terminals<\/li><li><strong>Terminal tractors:<\/strong> trucks shuttling containers between quay and yard<\/li><li><strong>Rail terminals:<\/strong> many containers leave the port by train<\/li><\/ul><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AdobeStock_295106207-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"Aerial view of a cargo ship in a container port\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Aerial view of a cargo ship in a container port\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">Lashing bars and twist locks hold the deck stacks in place at sea.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>How fast is it?<\/h2><p>A big ship may exchange 4,000&ndash;8,000 container moves in one port call, with five or six cranes working at once. That is why freighter passengers sometimes get only a few hours ashore. See <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/life-on-a-container-ship\/\">life on a container ship<\/a>.<\/p><h2>Watching it as a passenger<\/h2><p>From the bridge wings or upper decks you can watch the whole operation safely. Passengers must follow crew instructions and keep out of working areas during cargo operations, because it is a busy and potentially dangerous environment. Many travellers say it is one of the highlights of <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/cargo-ship-travel-guide\/\">voyage en cargo<\/a>.<\/p><h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2><div class=\"ch-faq\"><h3>How are container ships loaded?<\/h3><p>Ship-to-shore cranes lift containers from trucks or carriers on the quay into planned slots on the ship, below deck first, and then on deck.<\/p><h3>How long does it take to load a container ship?<\/h3><p>Usually 12&ndash;48 hours per port call, depending on the number of moves and cranes.<\/p><h3>How many containers can a crane move per hour?<\/h3><p>Typically 25&ndash;35 moves per hour for a single crane, and more with twin-lift spreaders.<\/p><h3>How are containers secured on a ship?<\/h3><p>With twist locks between containers, plus lashing bars and turnbuckles on deck stacks. Below deck, cell guides hold them in place.<\/p><h3>Can passengers watch cargo operations?<\/h3><p>Yes, from safe areas, following crew instructions.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"ch-cta\"><strong>Watch the cranes from the deck<\/strong><p>See port operations up close from your own cabin on a working cargo ship.<\/p><a class=\"ch-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/sinformer-pour-une-croisiere-cargo\/\">Book a container ship voyage &rarr;<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<style>\n.ch-post{font-family:inherit;line-height:1.7;color:#1f2937;max-width:820px;margin:0 auto}\n.ch-post h2{font-size:1.6em;margin:1.8em 0 .6em;color:#0b2545;border-bottom:3px solid #f5a623;padding-bottom:.25em}\n.ch-post h3{font-size:1.15em;margin:1.4em 0 .3em;color:#0b2545}\n.ch-post p{margin:0 0 1em}\n.ch-post ul,.ch-post ol{margin:0 0 1.2em 1.3em}\n.ch-post li{margin:.35em 0}\n.ch-post .ch-updated{font-size:.9em;color:#6b7280;margin-bottom:1.2em}\n.ch-post .ch-table{overflow-x:auto;margin:1.2em 0 1.6em}\n.ch-post table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;font-size:.95em}\n.ch-post th{background:#0b2545;color:#fff;text-align:left;padding:.65em .8em}\n.ch-post td{padding:.6em .8em;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb;vertical-align:top}\n.ch-post tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#f6f8fb}\n.ch-post .ch-faq{background:#f6f8fb;border-radius:12px;padding:1em 1.4em;margin:1em 0 2em}\n.ch-post .ch-faq h3{margin-top:1em}\n.ch-post .ch-cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0b2545,#13315c);color:#fff;border-radius:14px;padding:1.6em 1.8em;margin:2.2em 0;text-align:center}\n.ch-post .ch-cta strong{display:block;font-size:1.35em;margin-bottom:.4em;color:#fff}\n.ch-post .ch-cta p{color:#dbe4f0;margin:.2em 0 1.1em}\n.ch-post .ch-btn{display:inline-block;background:#f5a623;color:#0b2545 !important;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;padding:.8em 1.6em;border-radius:999px}\n.ch-post .ch-btn:hover{background:#ffbb45}\n.ch-post em{color:#4b5563}\n<\/style>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How are container ships loaded and unloaded? Ship-to-shore cranes, stowage plans, lashing, straddle carriers and how many containers a port moves per hour.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99805,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single3.php","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[356,1030,118],"tags":[1556,1575,1465,1576,1574],"yst_prominent_words":[104,386,793,57],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99703"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99703"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99720,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99703\/revisions\/99720"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99703"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=99703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}