A transtainer is a large gantry crane used at ports, container yards, and intermodal terminals to lift, move, and stack shipping containers. It is commonly known as a rubber-tyred gantry crane, or RTG, when it moves on rubber tyres. Transtainers help transfer containers between yard stacks, trucks, railcars, and terminal handling areas. They are essential for container yard efficiency because they allow terminals to organise high volumes of cargo in limited space.
A transtainer (rubber-tired gantry crane or RTG) is a large mobile crane used at container terminals to lift, move, and stack shipping containers in the terminal yard. RTG cranes straddle multiple container rows and can stack containers four to five high.
- Operated by the terminal or port authority
- Moves containers from the vessel discharge point to storage rows in the yard
- Enables high-density container stacking to maximize terminal capacity
- Electrified RTGs are increasingly replacing diesel-powered cranes for environmental compliance
For related logistics context, see Dedola’s ocean freight shipping services and glossary entries on Container Yard (CY), Gating In, Port Filings, and Chassis.
