Vessels are loaded via loading arms containing the pipe lines. Berths are placed offshore to keep safe zone of operation from rest of port operations. Liquid Berth Used to handle oil and gas related products. These berths can feature very basic amenities for fuel, provisions, and utilities to sustain a crew and vessel until the destination berth is available. Lay-by Berth A general berth for use by vessels for short term waiting until a loading or discharging berth is available. These berths will feature very little land side access or equipment except what is needed to secure the vessel. Vessels being put on the hook can use these as intermediate points between operational use and mothballing at an off shore mooring. Lay Berth (Layberth) A berth used for idle (lay-up status) vessels. These are common at smaller ports or ports where special project cargo is common. Vessels using these would usually have their own lifting gear, but some ports will provide mobile cranes to do this. General Berth Used to handle smaller shipments of general cargo. Alongside the quay there is often a large flat area used to store both the imported and exported containers. These berths will feature large areas of land for container handling near the berth and will also have significant equipment on dock to facilitate rapid movement of containers on and off the vessels. Vessels are loaded and unloaded by container cranes, designed specifically for the task. Container Berth Used to handle standard intermodal containers. Storage facilities for the bulk cargo are often alongside the berth – e.g. Vessels are loaded using either excavators, conveyor belts, and/or pipelines. The following is a list of berth types based on cargo of the ships calling:īulk Berth Used to handle either dry or liquid bulk cargo. They contain standalone structures called dolphins which have fenders and bollards located to fit the geometry of the vessels which would call at the berth. Often offshore berths are created for berthing of oil and gas vessels. Offshore Berth Used when cargo-handling or storage can be hazardous. In these instances long finger piers may reach far offshore, with access for rail or other cargo-moving methods. Finger piers can also be used for dangerous cargoes such as military cargo that can not be used with offshore berths because of the weight and equipment requirements. Finger piers are often used for small to medium vessels associated with passenger travel. By shore connection īerths can be classified by whether they are attached to the shore:įinger Pier Used to maximize the berthing space per length of waterfront. This style of berth can offer more flexibility in the specificity of construction but also presents more complicated dredging projects afterwards and also limits the amount of weight the berth is able to support and resist. Open Structure Berth Open berths feature structures supported by piles set slightly off shore from the natural extent of the land or the farthest extent of fill dirt. They can be constructed using either a gravity wall structure where the front wall of the structure uses its own weight and friction to contain the fill or with a sheet pile structure where an anchoring plate is used to contain the weight of the fill dirt. The following is a list of berth types based on the method of construction: Solid Structure Berth In these berths, a solid vertical structure is created to contain fill material which is brought all the way to the structure. Berth in Pipiriki, Wanganui River, New Zealand.

Berth vessel meaning