Container Yard Gantry Cranes: RTG & RMG for Ports, Dry Ports and Rail Terminals

A container yard gantry crane stacks, retrieves and transfers ISO containers between trucks, trains and storage blocks in a port, dry port, rail terminal or logistics yard. Weihua manufactures the two main types: the Rubber Tyred Gantry Crane (RTG), which travels on tyres and moves freely between yard blocks, and the Rail Mounted Gantry Crane (RMG), which runs on fixed rails for rail-guided positioning in fixed-layout terminals.

Both types handle 20 ft, 40 ft and 45 ft containers with a container spreader, and both can be configured to your span, lifting height, stacking layers and power supply.

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Container Yard Gantry Crane at a Glance

	Pórtico rolante com pneus de borracha RTG	RMG Rail Mounted Gantry Crane
Capacidade de elevação	35–70 ton	30.5–50 ton
Span	23.47 m / 26 m	35 m (reference); matched to your yard and rail layout
Altura de elevação	15.5 m / 18.5 m	12.5–18.3 m
Classe operária	A6 / A7	A6–A7
Container sizes	20 ft, 40 ft, 45 ft	20 ft, 40 ft, 45 ft
Travel	Rubber tyres, no rails	Fixed ground rails
Alimentação eléctrica	Diesel generator set or three-phase AC 380 V 50 Hz	Three-phase AC 380 V 50 Hz

Parameters are reference values from our product pages. Final specifications depend on your yard layout and project requirements.

Types of Container Yard Gantry Cranes

Pórtico rolante com pneus de borracha RTG

The RTG is built for container stacking in yards that need mobility. Rubber tyres let it move between rows and blocks without laying tracks, and it can cross multiple rows of containers without repositioning.

• Lifting capacity 35–70 ton; span 23.47 m or 26 m; lifting height 15.5 m or 18.5 m (4 or 5 stack layers)
• Diesel-electric or diesel-hydraulic drive options
• Multiple steering modes, including 0–90° turns and turning in place
• Full digital AC variable-frequency drive with PLC control
• Works with a telescopic container spreader; automatic positioning and anti-sway control available

Typical applications: seaport container yards, container terminals, large logistics centers.

[View RTG Rubber Tyred Gantry Crane] → https://www.weihuaglobal.com/product/rtg-rubber-tyred-gantry-crane-manufacturer/

RMG Rail Mounted Gantry Crane

The RMG runs on fixed rails and suits terminals with a defined container yard and rail-transfer lanes. Its box or truss main beam is supported by rigid outriggers, and it can span multiple railway tracks.

• Lifting capacity 30.5–50 ton; track span 35 m (reference); lifting height 12.5–18.3 m
• Cantilevered, single-side cantilevered and non-cantilevered structures; upper-rotating and lower-rotating versions
• Full digital AC frequency conversion with PLC speed regulation
• Designed, manufactured and inspected to Chinese standards and international standards including FEM, DIN, IEC and AWS

Typical applications: inland container terminals, dry ports, railway container yards, intermodal logistics hubs.

[View Rail Mounted Gantry Crane] → https://www.weihuaglobal.com/product/rail-mounted-gantry-crane-manufacturer/

RTG vs. RMG: Which Container Yard Gantry Crane Should You Choose?

Selection factor	RTG	RMG
Travel system	Rubber tyres	Fixed rails
Yard flexibility	Moves between yard blocks; adapts to changing layouts	Follows fixed rail routes
Infrastructure	Needs load-bearing yard pavement; no crane rails	Needs rail foundations and crane rails
Positioning	Steering and positioning systems	Rail-guided
Rail transfer	Possible, layout-dependent	Well suited; spans multiple tracks
Best fit	Flexible or phased yards, changing layouts	Fixed layouts, rail-connected terminals

Choose an RTG when you need to move between yard blocks or the layout may change. Choose an RMG when the layout is fixed and rail-guided positioning and rail-to-yard transfer matter.

In our 40-ton inland terminal project in South America, an RMG was selected over a rubber-tyred alternative for its structural stability, lower long-term maintenance cost and rail-guided positioning in a fixed terminal layout.

For a deeper comparison, read our guide: Grua RTG vs RMG: Diferença e guia de seleção.

Quick Selection Guide

Your situation	Suggested crane
Yard layout may change; you want to avoid rail foundations	RTG
Fixed container block with defined travel lanes	RMG
Rail-to-yard container transfer at a dry port or rail terminal	RMG
You need to move between several yard blocks	RTG
You are planning remote operation or automation upgrades	RMG

How a Container Yard Gantry Crane Works

The crane positions itself over the target container by gantry travel and trolley travel. The spreader locks onto the container's corner castings and lifts it to a safe height. The crane then moves the container to the stack, truck or rail wagon and lowers it into place, and returns for the next cycle.

How to Size a Container Yard Gantry Crane

Three numbers decide the crane: the heaviest container, the number of rows, and the stack height.

1. Capacity. Rated capacity must cover the heaviest laden container you will handle. Under ISO 668 (Series 1 freight containers), the maximum gross mass is now 36,000 kg for all sizes except 10 ft, raised from 30,480 kg by the 2016 amendment. Yards that handle only lighter laden containers can use the 30.5 t or 35 t classes; yards that may see 36 t containers need a higher class. Capacity is normally quoted under the spreader, so confirm this in your quotation.
2. Span. Count the container rows plus the truck lane. A 6+1 layout means six rows and one truck lane. Our South America RMG project used a 23.5 m span for this arrangement. Standard containers are 8 ft (2.44 m) wide, so six rows alone take about 14.6 m before row gaps, the truck lane and leg clearance.
3. Lifting height. Stacking is described as 1-over-N: the crane lifts one container over a stack of N containers. A higher stack needs more lifting height, so set it from your storage-density target, not from the maximum available.

Especificações técnicas

RTG Main Technical Parameters

Parâmetro	35 t	41 t	70 t
Rated lifting capacity (t)	35	41	70
Base distance (m)	7	7	7.5
Vão (m)	23.47 / 26	23.47 / 26	23.47 / 26
Altura de elevação (m)	15.5 / 18.5	15.5 / 18.5	15.5 / 18.5
Stack layers	4 / 5	4 / 5	4 / 5
Container specification	20', 40', 45'	20', 40', 45'	20', 40', 45'
Hoisting speed, full / empty (m/min)	20 / 40	25 / 50	25 / 50
Trolley travelling (m/min)	70	70	70
Wheel numbers	8	8 / 16	16
Alimentação eléctrica	Diesel generator set or three-phase AC 380 V 50 Hz

Ambient temperature: -10 °C to 50 °C.

RMG Main Technical Parameters

Parâmetro	30.5 t	35 t	40.5 t	50 t
Capacity under spreader (t)	30.5	35	40.5	50
Dever de trabalho	A6	A6	A6	A6
Vão (m)	35	35	35	35
Base (m)	16	16	16	16
Altura de elevação (m)	15.4	15.4	18.3	18.3
Hoisting speed, full load (m/min)	12	12	18	18
Trolley travelling (m/min)	60	60	70	70
Gantry travelling (m/min)	45	45	45	45
Crane rail	P50	P50	P50	QU80
Alimentação eléctrica	Three-phase AC 50 Hz 380 V

The tables above are for reference. Span, lifting height, cantilever arrangement and power supply are matched to your project.

Applications of Container Yard Gantry Cranes

• Seaports and container terminals: stacking, retrieval and transfer between storage blocks and truck loading areas.
• Inland container terminals and dry ports: container transfer between rail wagons, trucks and stacking blocks.
• Railway container yards: lifting and stacking across rail-connected storage areas.
• Logistics parks and container depots: organized storage, repositioning and dispatch of 20 ft, 40 ft and 45 ft containers.

Other Container Yard Equipment

For terminals that need a machine that carries and stacks containers without a fixed gantry, Weihua also supplies the Porta-contentores com cavalete. For quay-side handling, see our Guindaste de cais de navio para terra and the full Gruas portuárias range.

Container Yard Gantry Crane Projects

• 40 Ton Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) Crane for Inland Container Terminal in South America: rail-to-yard container transfer; 40 t, 23.5 m span, A7/M7 duty, cable reel power.
• Rubber Tyred Gantry Crane (RTG) – Container Terminal, Brazil
• Rail-Mounted Gantry Crane for Argentina Container Yard
• Automated Rail Mounted Container Cranes for Smart Port
• Pórtico sobre carris para contentores Project in Thailand

[View All Cases] → https://www.weihuaglobal.com/case/

Customized Container Yard Crane Solutions

A container yard crane should be configured around your yard, not selected by rated capacity alone. Send us the following and our engineers will recommend a crane configuration:

1. Crane type preference: RTG, RMG, or not sure yet.
2. Container specifications: 20 ft, 40 ft or 45 ft, and the maximum gross weight.
3. Span and layout: how many container rows plus truck lane or rail tracks the crane must cover, or the exact span in meters; a yard layout drawing helps.
4. Stacking height: how many containers high you need to stack.
5. Site and power: ground or rail conditions, climate, and available power supply (diesel generator set, or three-phase voltage and frequency).
6. Operation: daily container volume and operating hours.

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Why Choose Weihua for Container Yard Cranes?

Henan Weihua Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. (Weihua Group), based in Changyuan City, Henan, China, has manufactured cranes since 1988 and exports to more than 170 countries and regions.

• R&D strength: an R&D team of 1,000+ engineers, 33 national and provincial R&D platforms, and 1,500+ authorized patents.
• Recognized enterprise: National Demonstration Enterprise of Technology Innovation, National Torch Plan Key High-tech Enterprise and National Enterprise Technology Center.
• Control technology: self-developed electrical anti-sway control technology.
• Standards and certification: design, manufacture and inspection to Chinese and international standards including FEM, DIN, IEC and AWS; see our certificates e patent certificates.
• Manufacturing base: see our factory e company profile.

For installation, commissioning and after-sales support, see our Serviço page.

Perguntas mais frequentes

What is a container yard gantry crane?

A container yard gantry crane is lifting equipment that stacks, retrieves and transfers shipping containers in a port, dry port, rail terminal or logistics yard. The two main types are the RTG, which travels on rubber tyres, and the RMG, which travels on fixed rails.

What is the difference between an RTG and an RMG crane?

An RTG moves between yard blocks on tyres and needs no crane rails, so it suits flexible yards. An RMG runs on fixed rails with rail-guided positioning, so it suits fixed-layout terminals and rail transfer. The right choice depends on your yard layout, infrastructure and operating needs.

What capacity, span and lifting height do Weihua container yard cranes offer?

Our RTG covers 35–70 ton, with 23.47 m or 26 m span and 15.5 m or 18.5 m lifting height. Our RMG covers 30.5–50 ton, with a 35 m reference span and 12.5–18.3 m lifting height. Spans and heights are matched to your yard layout.

What power supply do these cranes use?

The RTG runs on a diesel generator set or three-phase AC 380 V 50 Hz power. The RMG runs on three-phase AC 380 V 50 Hz power. Tell us your site power conditions when you inquire.

What information do I need to get a quotation?

Send the crane type (if known), container sizes and maximum gross weight, container rows or rail layout, required stacking height, power supply, and your yard drawing if available.

Request a Container Yard Gantry Crane Solution

Planning a new container yard, upgrading an inland terminal or replacing handling equipment? Send us your project requirements and our team will recommend an RTG or RMG configuration. We will reply within 24 hours.

Related Reading

• Grua RTG vs RMG: Diferença e guia de seleção
• Quanto custa um guindaste de contentor?
• Partes e princípio de funcionamento da grua para contentores
• Different Types of Container Cranes at Port
• Gruas portuárias
• Other gantry cranes: Double Girder Gantry Crane