Inbound and outbound containers are temporarily stored in the storage yard at container terminals. A
combination of container demand increase and storage yard capacity scarcity create complex operational
challenges for storage yard managers. This paper presents an in-depth overview of storage yard operations,
including the material handling equipment used, and highlights current industry trends and developments.
A classification scheme for storage yard operations is proposed and used to classify scientific
journal papers published between 2004 and 2012. The paper also discusses and challenges the current
operational paradigms on storage yard operations. Lastly, the paper identifies new avenues for academic
research based on current trends and developments in the container terminal industry.