Ports and Terminals

Vehicle requirements:

Automated guided vehicles, or better known as AGVs, are symbolic of the ongoing automation process in harbours.

AGVs are used at moderate speeds around gradual bends, making the demands of an AGV on its tyres seem quite low, but there are negative factors which have to be taken into consideration to avoid tyre failures which can disrupt the entire workflow and cause immense cost.

On-going technical advancement plays a major role. The quest for lower emissions contributes to the use of electrically powered AGVs. Consequently, the weight of the batteries increases the vehicle’s overall weight and hence the strain on the tyre.

The rolling resistance of the tyres has a significant influence on energy consumption and as a consequence on the uninterrupted operating time of the vehicle, as well as on the number of vehicles required.

Last but not least, there is the effect of the missing human element. In contrast to a vehicle operated by a human driver, an AGV can’t avoid foreign objects, and as a result this can lead to tyre damage.

Our Solution

Our CraneMaster tyre makes use of the new V.ply technology. With its significantly lower rolling resistance, this technology makes an AGV fitted with CraneMaster tyres far better equipped to handle the daily demands of its operating conditions.

Vehicle requirements

Empty container handlers do not seem to be exposed to severe strain. The weight they carry is limited so why should they need a superior tyre? The challenge lies in the height or, more precisely, the mast they operate with. Due to their design, empty container handlers have to cope with the extremely high reach of their loading gear. This means they carry heavy loads on their single axles even when unloaded. In addition, potholes and uneven surfaces can cause the vehicles to tilt, especially when they are driven at higher speeds or while turning around a corner.

The relative instability of the vehicle, in particular during the loading process when it makes sharp turns and the load is lifted to its maximum height, poses a huge potential accident risk.

But the tyres are under strain in even seemingly ordinary conditions. The tyre kissing effect also places the dual front tyres under additional stress due to frequent contact between the inner-facing sidewalls. This leads to increased wear or in extreme cases to sudden tyre failure with potentially fatal consequences. However, the rear tyres are under more of a burden. The reason is quite simple though. When the vehicle is not carrying a load, the enormous counterweight still puts pressure on the rear tyres. The fact that the vehicles are driven at higher speeds intensifies the effect of tyre wear.

To guarantee smooth operation at full potential, an empty container handler needs tyres with exceptional load capacity, superior damping properties and outstanding maneuverability.

Our Solution

Our ContainerMaster+ has utterly strong sidewalls, improved protection against damage and a longer service life. Less internal movement, less rolling resistance, delayed ageing and a better wear picture contribute to improved safety, better driving performance plus lower fuel consumption.

The massive DockMaster+ tyre without any tread is ideal for reach stackers or vehicles used at limited speed or only occasionally. It is the perfect choice for a medium-speed reach stacker when outstanding longevity, robustness and puncture resistance are priorities.

Vehicle requirements

Due to their specific design, heavy-duty forklifts move enormous loads on single axles. Potholes and uneven surfaces can cause the vehicle to tilt, especially when carrying heavy loads at high speeds or when maneuvering in sharp bends. Depending on the load and its dimensions, the vehicle can become instable with a high risk of accidents even in seemingly ordinary conditions.

There are other factors that can have a negative effect on the life of the tyre. The twin tyre kissing effect also places the dual front tyres under additional stress due to frequent contact between the inner-facing sidewalls. This leads to increased wear or in extreme cases to sudden tyre failure with potentially fatal consequences. Surprisingly, the rear tyres are under more of a burden. The reason is quite simple though. When the vehicle is not carrying a load, the enormous mass of the counterweight still places pressure on the rear tyres. And it is precisely in this situation that the vehicles are driven at higher speeds than usual.

For smooth operation at full potential, a heavy-duty forklift first and foremost relies on tyres with exceptional load capacity, superior damping properties and outstanding maneuverability.

Our Solution

Since harbour conditions differ, Continental offers two completely different types of tyres to match the needs of every customer. Both are custom-designed to meet the requirements of a heavy-duty forklift, its operator and the working environment. 

Pick & Stack tyres - V.ply (<60km / day)

Our ContainerMaster+ has utterly strong sidewalls, improved protection against damage and a longer service life. Less internal movement, less rolling resistance, delayed ageing and a better wear picture contribute to improved safety, better driving performance plus lower fuel consumption.

The massive DockMaster+ tyre without any tread is ideal for vehicles used at limited speed or only occasionally. It is the perfect choice for medium-speed vehicles, when outstanding longevity, robustness and puncture resistance are priorities.

Load & Carry tyres - Radial (>60km / day)
With a tread compound developed to reduce heat build-up, our new ContainerMaster Radial is a tyre for longer distance load and carry applications that can potentially be in excess of 60 km driving distance per day and comes with an integrated tyre sensor.

Fitting for heavy-forklifts transporting bulky industrial goods, the ContiRT20 is a great tyre solution. Innovative tread compound with high resistance to wear and tread cracking to deliver high mileage and long-term durability.

Vehicle requirements

In contrast to other harbour equipment, mobile harbour cranes do not place a burden on their tyres when handling loads. However, when the crane is moved to a new location, a tyre failure can disrupt the entire workflow and cause immense cost.

Although the period of use, the speed during the move and the distance are negligible, it is not uncommon that the tyres of a mobile harbour crane never reach the end of their projected service life. The reasons lay in two highly destructive factors.

Due to the enormous tare weight of a mobile harbour crane, the strain on the tyres is equally high. In addition, mobile harbour cranes are often moved in a straight line, which means the wear is increased by an uneven surface, rails and curbs.

Exposure to UV radiation is another negative factor. Since the mobile harbour cranes are not moving all the time, the tyres can be exposed to destructive UV radiation over days and weeks. This accelerates the ageing process of the rubber dramatically and leads to visible cracks in the tyre's surface

Our Solution

Our CraneMaster range of tyres makes use of the new V.ply technology that has its origin in racing tyre technology. A mobile harbour crane fitted with CraneMaster tyres is far better equipped to handle the daily demands of its operating conditions. 

Our CraneMaster tyre features an exceptionally sturdy tyre construction for lower rolling resistance and longer service life. In terms of damping, this design allows a CraneMaster tyre to rely not only on compressed air but also on the exceptionally sturdy tyre construction itself. 

Vehicle requirements

There are several tasks a reach stacker has to master all at once while stacking containers six high, it needs to move with the agility of a compact car and the steadiness of a tank.

A reach stacker handles enormous loads on single axles. Potholes and uneven surfaces can cause the vehicle to tilt, especially when it carries heavy loads at high speeds or while turning around a corner. Payloads are also often heavier than indicated. When handling such a container, a reach stacker can become unstable, which increases the risk of an accident.

The twin tyre kissing effect also places the dual front tyres under additional strain due to frequent contact between the inner-facing sidewalls. This leads to increased wear or in extreme cases to sudden tyre failure with potentially fatal consequences. Surprisingly, the rear tyres are under more of a burden. The reason is quite simple though. When the vehicle is not carrying a load, the enormous mass of the counterweight still places pressure on the rear tires. And it is precisely in this situation that the vehicles are driven at higher speeds than usual.

For smooth operation at full potential, a reach stacker requires tyres with exceptional load capacity, superior damping properties and outstanding maneuverability.

Our Solution

Since harbour conditions differ, Continental offers two completely different types of tyres to match the needs of every customer. Both are custom-designed to meet the requirements of a heavy-duty forklift, its operator and the working environment. 

Pick & Stack tyres - V.ply (<60km / day)

Our ContainerMaster+ has utterly strong sidewalls, improved protection against damage and a longer service life. Less internal movement, less rolling resistance, delayed ageing and a better wear picture contribute to improved safety, better driving performance plus lower fuel consumption.

The massive DockMaster+ tyre without any tread is ideal for vehicles used at limited speed or only occasionally. It is the perfect choice for medium-speed vehicles, when outstanding longevity, robustness and puncture resistance are priorities.

Load & Carry tyres - Radial (>60km / day)

With a tread compound developed to reduce heat build-up, our new ContainerMaster Radial is a tyre for longer distance load and carry applications that can potentially be in excess of 60 km driving distance per day and comes with an integrated tyre sensor.

Fitting for heavy-forklifts transporting bulky industrial goods, the ContiRT20 is a great tyre solution. Innovative tread compound with high resistance to wear and tread cracking to deliver high mileage and long-term durability.

Vehicle requirements

The enormous weights that harbour cranes have to carry have two sources; firstly the weight of the payload and secondly the tare weight of the crane itself. Even though the crane travels quite modest distances at moderate speeds, it is not uncommon that the tyres of a harbour crane hardly ever reach the end of their projected service life. The reasons might not be immediately obvious since the tyres are rarely in actual use. Nevertheless, there are some highly destructive factors that specifically affect the service life of a harbour crane tyre.

Firstly, it is the turning on the spot under load and at an extreme 90‑degree angle. In contrast to other vehicles, a rubber tyre gantry crane does not move when its wheels are turned – a factor that adds tremendous stress to the tyres.

Secondly, and ironically so, too little usage. Constant load on the same area of the tyres leads to flat spots. When the deformed carcass is moved, the wear increases exponentially.

Thirdly, exposure to UV radiation.  Other than tyres of vehicles that are constantly moving, the tyres of a rubber tyre gantry crane can be exposed to destructive UV radiation over days and weeks. The UV radiation accelerates the ageing process of the rubber dramatically and leads to visible cracks in the tyre's surface.

Our Solution

The new Continental CraneMaster range of tyres makes use of the new V.ply technology that has its origin in racing tyre technology. A rubber tyre gantry crane fitted with CraneMaster tyres is far better equipped to handle the daily demands of its operating conditions. 

Our CraneMaster features an exceptionally sturdy tyre construction for lower rolling resistance and a longer service life. In terms of damping, this design allows a CraneMaster tyre to rely not only on compressed air but also on the exceptionally sturdy tyre construction itself.

Vehicle Requirements

Straddle Carriers are the ultimate high-performance workhorses, safely combining height, weight, speed and maneuverability in the terminal yard. It is exactly these important features and the extreme operating demands that cause high levels of tyre wear and frequent tyre damage.

All operators of straddle carriers know when braking hard, the vehicle risks going into a rocking and swaying motion. As the slip-stick effect causes single tyres to lose surface contact, the vehicle starts to make uncontrollable movements. In this situation the driver is challenged to keep the straddle carrier under control.
In the worst case the cargo could twist and the vehicle could tip over – with potentially fatal consequences for man and machine.

Our Solution

Driven over distance, our range of StraddleMaster Radial tyres are designed with a key focus on endurance, stability and steering precision.

Vehicle requirements

Among all vehicles used in the harbour, terminal tractors clock up the highest mileage. This means that the tyres on a terminal tractor have to accelerate more often, they have to brake more often and they have to corner more often than any other kind of tyre in the harbour. They also have to operate in an environment that accelerates tyre wear and hastens tyre failure. Uneven surfaces with different and sometimes highly abrasive surfaces, potholes, bumps and foreign objects increase tyre wear as well as tyre failure.

No wonder that only a fraction of all tyres used on terminal tractors reach the end of their projected service life. But it’s not always the environment that ends the life of a tyre ahead of schedule. Since a vast number of tyres just aren’t designed for use on terminal tractors, sometimes it is simply a case of the wrong tyre in the wrong place.

Our Solution

The best tyre is the one that is custom-designed to meet the needs and demands of its operator and the working environment. That’s why Continental offers not less than three completely different types of tyres to match the needs of every customer.

Our Terminal Transport is the high-performance radial tyre for heavy tasks. Reinforced bead designs make light work of heavy loads. S-shaped cross ribs excel in all weathers, producing outstanding traction, while the closed shoulder design ensures an exceptionally quiet ride. What is more, the low-abrasion tread compound delivers outstanding mileage.

Our Terminal Transport tyre is a real all-rounder: It provides low energy consumption, excellent wet grip and traction, ride comfort and even wear count at reasonable cost. 

The ContiRV20 is a massive radial tyre for use in the most demanding conditions. Its highly resistant tread compound and closed shoulder design provide for outstanding longevity.

Vehicle requirements

It doesn’t have to transmit steering forces, it doesn’t have to transmit driving forces, and all it has to do is roll. The requirements to a tyre used on a terminal trailer may not be remarkably high; yet if a tyre on a loaded trailer fails, the consequences can still be quite severe.

Terminal trailers have to operate in an environment that accelerates tyre wear and tyre failure due to uneven surfaces with different and sometimes highly abrasive surfaces, potholes and bumps - not to mention foreign objects thrown up by the tyres of the terminal truck ahead.

But it’s not always the harbour environment that shortens the life of a tyre mounted on a terminal trailer. Since a vast number of tyres simply aren’t designed for use on terminal trailers, it’s often merely a case of the wrong tyre in the wrong place, causing it to fail way ahead of its projected service life.

Our Solution

Since harbour conditions differ, Continental offers two completely different types of tyres to match the needs of every customer. Both are custom-designed to meet the requirements of a heavy-duty forklift, its operator and the working environment. 

Load & Carry tyres - Radial (>60km / day)

Our TerminalMaster is the high-performance radial tyre for heavy tasks. Reinforced bead designs make light work of heavy loads. S-shaped cross ribs excel in all weathers, producing outstanding traction, while the closed shoulder design ensures an exceptionally quiet ride. What is more, the low-abrasion tread compound delivers outstanding mileage.

Our Terminal Transport tyre is a real all-rounder: It provides low energy consumption, excellent wet grip and traction, ride comfort and even wear count at reasonable cost.

The ContiRV20 is a massive radial tyre for use in the most demanding conditions. Its highly resistant tread compound and closed shoulder design provide for outstanding longevity. 

Solid tyres - for higher loads and maintenance free

The Continental Trailer is a solid tyre with a treadles design for superior handling. The solid body eliminates the need to inflate the tyre and the treadless running surface prevents the saw tooth wear, which causes vibrations. 

The SC20+ offers increased robustness and cut resistance due to its new compound. Maintenance free (puncture proof and no air pressure checking required), both tyres offer outstanding resistance to damage and cuts.

The SC18 (for North America & Asia) has a low rolling resistance and low energy consumption. It’s the perfect tyre for harsh applications on unsurfaced ground and is protected against cutting damage.

Click here to find more information about truck tyres

To complete our product portfolio find out more about our car tyres. 

Port workers are exposed to less danger if vehicles are stable. That’s why our tyres are engineered for stability, strength and performance.