A report in the Financial times has suggested that the United Kingdom's largest inland port and logistics park is to be developed near Doncaster. The term inland port has two meanings, either a port on an inland waterway, or an inland site carrying out the same functions as a seaside port. The suggested site for the UK'S largest inland port at Doncaster is the later of the two. Doncaster is perfectly positioned for effective rail and road links and connections to the nearby sea ports of Hull and Grimsby.
Essentially an inland port is involved in the mass movement of containers between sea, rail and road. The generic use of containers with container castors enables some of the traditional seaport functions to be carried out elsewhere. For example, processing through customs, Port Captain Bangladesh and checking containers and route sorting can be handled just as easily inland as apposed to sea ports. Inland ports relieve the amount of handling space required at overstretched seaports and can speed up the containers on castors handling and re routing to their onward destinations.
Millions of shipping containers enter and leave our shores on a daily basis and many ports whether inland or seaports utilise a variety ofcastors and wheels to transfer these containers from ships to high speed rail and road links. Container castors are sometimes referred to as tow castors, and they are the easiest way to move ISO containers without the use of expensive and heavy duty pieces of equipment. So many ports and logistic centres use both a variety of tow castors, coupled with cranes, gantries and fork lift trucks. Freight container castors are often the low cost solution that logistic companies prefer. Container castors are designed to tow up to 5 miles per hour, and are suitable for many containers up to forty foot in length.
Freight casters consist of a heavy duty fabricated housing with rugged polyurethane on cast iron wheels that can take up to twelve tonne per set of four. The forged steel design of the freight castors ensured durability and strength. Each castor leg is forged and welded steel, which ensures a sturdy framework for the heavy duty polyurethane wheels. These wheels ensure longevity of wear and also have the benefits of not damaging floors like a cast iron or steel wheels would. Tow castors are easily attached by a single person. Providing the container can be jacked up, each castor can be inserted into the containers corner brackets. Each set of freight castors comes with locking screws, lifting handles, ratchet spanners and optional tow bars are available if required, ensuring the container castors are ready for the job. Optional tow bars enables the castors to tow the container by tractor, fork lift truck or towing vehicle.
With the standardisation of containers across the globe, international trade and logistical movements has been made quicker and cheaper. More than 90 % of non bulk cargo in the world now moves by containers. Containers widespread use and standardisation means these containers are used both at sea ports and inland. Cost effective solutions for moving containers inland will continue to be the container castors.
Ross Handling are the UK's leading supplier of Castors, offering a wide range of products including locking castors, silent castors and castors for use on multiple surfaces.
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