The puzzle involved boxes with a total weight of 27 tonnes that had to be lifted off wagons positioned on the second and furthest of two parallel tracks, while maintaining the required safety distance of 6.8 metres from the trains.

After in-depth cooperation between engineers and applications, two Hyster reachstackers were adapted to extend the standard wheelbase of the trucks by 80cm (from 5,900 to 6,700mm) and a hydraulic forward stabiliser, as well as a larger counterweight, was built on.

This allowed the trucks to not only reach the trailers on the second rail, but also to lift containers from the first rail, up to a weight of 46 tonnes.

Both units have been working for over a year, at a total of 4,000 hours, without any hitches and have proved to be efficient with fuel too, says the terminal operator.