A shipping container forklift can have a plethora of benefits, especially in unique environments like port settings. Depending on the capacity of the shipping container and the maximum lifting capacity of the vehicle, a port forklift can easily transport containers from one destination to the other with absolute ease. While these revolutionary pieces of machinery make workplace efficiency increase, it is important to understand that recent consumer demands for fast delivery have had severe repercussions across the overall supply chain of business in the transportation and storage sector.
Whilst UK storage businesses grow to accommodate the speed of order fulfilment expected by consumers, the arrival of international goods to UK ports and the need to unload containers is a growing challenge. This is because capacity starts to reach its maximum and congestion occurs which can cause long and undesirable delays. Therefore, operation managers are required to seek solutions, in the form of sufficient handling equipment, to unload and organise containers efficiently. Thankfully, this is where shipping container forklifts come into play.
Benefits of A Shipping Container Forklift
Since we have stated the issues, particularly with congestion, operations managers have to face in the transportation and storage sector, it is time to discuss the benefits of what a shipping container forklift can bring.
Sometimes simply referred to as a big forklift, these pieces of machinery can alleviate the challenges faced with port congestion because they can navigate tight-fitting spaces where necessary. With a compact design, low mast, and overall low height, the trucks are ideal for manoeuvring cargo inside the tight confines of a ship and transport goods from one area to the other.
The trucks’ large tyres also allow for exceptional levels of grip which is essential for handling cargo in poor weather conditions. Since most work on ports happen outdoors, it is imperative that your port forklift is designed to handle the stresses of harsh outdoor environments. This is ultimately to minimise injury to operators/pedestrians as well as boost overall workplace efficiency.
Operators will also need to be flexible when operating in a port or similar setting. Since incoming cargo can come in different shapes and sizes, having the right machine for the job will allow you to reduce downtime as you wont need to constantly change for more specialised machine alternatives. Furthermore, the forklifts have the ability to allow attachments to handle different size pallets/containers to improve workplace productivity. Read our blog where we discuss the 6 most popular forklift attachments for more information.
If you require a forklift for shipping container applications, give us a call where our friendly and highly knowledgeable team will discuss the best options for you.