Efficiency gains with sideloaders

Port Klang, the eleventh largest port in the world in terms of how many containers it handles, has the densest concentration of sideloaders in the world. These sideloaders are permitted to lift up containers independently. A container can be placed on the ground where it is most convenient for the port and a sideloader can collect it later.

“This ensures a faster and more flexible container flow in the port, as the harbour cranes don’t need to wait for a sideloader, unlike a container chassis,” explained Chris Joon, executive director at Hammar Malaysia, which supplies sideloaders to the port, Hammar’s second largest market.

Few loading platforms

An additional contributory factor in the popularity of sideloaders at the port is the big advantages of being able to set containers on the ground. There are very few loading platforms at the factories in Port Klang.

“Loading platforms take up more space, force you to make permanent investments and require you to add to the building as soon as you want to increase the goods flow. If sideloaders had been invented at the same time as containers, we would never have been using loading platforms for containers today!,” said Mr Joon.

The factories are located within a relatively small area, which means lots of lifting operations for the sideloaders every day. Large producers like Volvo and Scania are present, which means that there is lots to do.

Good motorways and infrastructure together with the fact that the sideloaders can operate round the clock also means that maximum use can be made of them.