OBJECTS OF INVESTIGATION
The research project ProKon focuses the division “High & Heavy” of a large international
automobile terminal, on which several million vehicles are handled in a year. This specific operating
division deals with the import and export of RoRo cargos. These cargos either are too large or too
heavy for conventional container transport, so that they don´t depend on the lifting of special heavyheight
vessels.
In the year 2008 the "High & Heavy” division had a turnover of more than 500,000 t. The
goods are distinguished in self-propelled cargos such as trucks, tractors, etc., and not self-propelled
cargos such as wind wheels, locomotives, power plants, etc. Due to their nature, special requirements
for the "High & Heavy" division arise: While self-propelled pieces of equipment are loaded on its
own axis, non-self-propelled goods should be transported and loaded with other conveyor vehicles. A
technical solution for non-self-propelled goods, which is widely used in international port terminals,
are the use of special towing vehicles (tugmasters) and load carriers (low-floor trailers for heavy
loads) - shown in figure 1.