Seaport developed general schemes for a container terminal based on using conventional (rubber-tired gantry cranes) and alternatively semi-automated (shuttle straddle carriers in combination with automated stacking cranes) operating systems in a North American environment using longshore union labour costs and practices. Seaport estimated operating costs of the two systems and developed pro forma financial analyses for them. The proposed site included a fully integrated on dock intermodal yard.

Seaport’s work included:

• Estimates of average total revenue per throughput container

• Overall operational planning and estimates of operating costs for manual (rubber-tired gantry crane) and semi-automated (shuttle straddle carrier and automated stacking crane) operating systems

• Adaptation of capital cost estimates for staged development plan

• Development of financial models for manual and semi-automated operations

• Financial evaluations of alternative operating systems and sensitivity analyses re market, revenue, operating costs and capital costs

• Preparation of project memoranda dealing with the above