Market Size and Business Model
Global Container Terminal Automated Twistlock Machine Market Analysis
I. Market Size
Global Scale Data
Shanghai: Has 13 container terminals with an annual throughput of 49 million TEU.
China: There are about 90 terminals in China, with about 50 terminals having a throughput of over 3 million TEU.
China's Share: Terminals in China with over 3 million TEU account for about 1/12 of the global total.
Global: There are about 600 container terminals with a scale of over 3 million TEU.
Europe & America: Account for about 300 container terminals with a scale of over 3 million TEU.
Equipment and Ancillary Facilities
Required Equipment
Ancillary Facilities
Each terminal needs to build a central lock storage, with an investment of about 15 million.
Each terminal needs to build transfer equipment, with an investment of about 6 million/set, for a total of about 18 million for 3 sets.
Each terminal needs to build a dispatch system, with an investment of about 1 million + service fee/time, estimated at 1 million/year.
II. Market Model: Sales
Sales Scale
China: Approximately 7-10 billion.
Global: Approximately 90-120 billion.
Sales Plan
4-station: Priced at 10-15 million/set, determined by region and total order quantity.
6-station: Priced at 14.5-19 million/set, determined by region and total order quantity.
Terminal Configuration
A terminal of 3-5 million TEU typically needs 6 to 10 sets of equipment.
Calculated with 8 sets at an average price of 12 million/set + ancillary facilities, a terminal requires an investment of about 150 million RMB.
Services
Service Scale
Based on a 3 million TEU/year·terminal example
China: Approximately 110 million/decade·terminal. 1.1/50 = service of about 5.5 billion/decade
Europe & America: Approximately 50 million/decade·terminal. 0.5/300 = service of about 15 billion/decade·terminal
Service Plan
China: Service price is 8 RMB/TEU, 8/1.5 million TEU = approx. 12 million·terminal including maintenance fees.
Europe & America: Service price is 3.5 USD/TEU, 3.5/1.5 million TEU = approx. 5 million·terminal including maintenance fees.
Human-Machine Comparison
China
Each terminal needs 5+2 sets of equipment
Approximately 12 million RMB per year
120 million over ten years
Labor cost is about 200 million RMB
Europe & America
Each terminal needs 5+2 sets of equipment
Approximately 5 million USD per year
50 million over ten years
Labor cost is about 150 million USD
III. Typical Cases
Two Quay Cranes Case
Sufficient time for transfer without affecting quay crane efficiency
Two quay cranes operating simultaneously: 30 mov/h × 2 = 60 mov/h ≈ 50 trucks/h
Deploy two PLS sets on incoming and outgoing lanes parallel to the main road
One set of PLS-4G+2T (50 trucks/h) × 2
Twist-lock transfer between two PLS stations
Single G-type lock machine inventory: 240 + 96 = 336 locks
Maximum one transfer needed (10 min/transfer)
Four Quay Cranes Case - BRT Mode
Bidirectional channel access with BRT mode deployment
Channel allows bidirectional entry and exit
BRT mode: Deploy two PLS stations in the middle of the main road
Two PLS sets can handle 100 trucks/hour
4 quay cranes: 30 × 4 = 120 mov ≈ 100 trucks
Efficient traffic flow with minimal waiting time
Optimized for high-throughput terminal operations
Eight Quay Cranes Case
Large-scale terminal with 8 quay cranes simultaneous operation
8 quay cranes simultaneous operation: 30 mov/h/crane → 240 mov/h total ≈ 200 trucks/h
1. Conditions
One berth with 8 quay cranes operating simultaneously: 30 mov/h/crane → 240 mov/h total ≈ 200 trucks/h
Configure 40 internal trucks, average speed 35 km/h > 3-4 cycles/h/truck
2. Configuration
Deploy one PLS-4G set each on incoming and outgoing lanes parallel to main road - handles 40ft and 45ft containers - 120 trucks/h for two units
Deploy one BRT mode PLS-4G+2T in the middle of main road - handles twin 20ft containers - 40 trucks/h
Deploy one BRT mode PLS-4T below berth 2 parallel to main road - handles 40/45ft and twin 20ft containers - 50 trucks/h
3. Container Variation
240 mov/h ≈ 200 trucks/h
120 trucks (40ft/45ft) go to PLS-4G station
80 trucks (twin 20ft) go to PLS-4G+2T or PLS-4T station
4. Time Analysis
Lock machine preparation: Transfer rack handling 10 min/time, four stations need 40 minutes
Ship twist-lock arrival time: Hatch cover lifting 5 min/time, requires n lifts
Top layer of hatch cover needs no twist-lock fixing for 10-50 containers, crane 2 min/container, total 10-60 min/quay crane
5. Detour Analysis
20% trucks detour, single truck detour distance 300m, with U-turn max 2 min extra, 40 trucks × 2 min = 80 min
Traditional operation: Under crane (truck accurate parking), manual lock removal/installation, signal confirmation average 86s
PLS: 60s/truck, saves 26s × 200 = 86 min
Compared to traditional terminal: No efficiency loss