Hub & Logistics SA

Żuraw port cran-hublogistics-4pl-ticino-elena-visconti

Evolution of Cargo Handling

The Port Crane

This summer, I visited Poland, a country rich in culture and fascinating history. In Gdansk, apart from admiring the splendid old town with its mannerist architecture and the gothic or baroque churches, I stumbled upon one of the city’s most astonishing symbols: the Port Crane

The crane was constructed during the time of the Teutonic Order, and I highly recommend visiting the Order’s headquarters in Malbork. This imposing brick and wooden structure, with a rectangular shape, features a complex mechanism of wheels and pulleys. When manually operated, it could lift incredibly heavy loads, either to load them onto ships or to remove them from the ship’s hold. 

Exploring the port of Gdansk with its shipyards is fascinating. It provides an opportunity to immerse oneself in the historical essence of a port. But it is through the lens of our imagination that we can recreate the bustling and vibrant trade and industrious labour of a medieval port.

Human ingenuity

Throughout history, human ingenuity has demonstrated remarkable skill in designing structures and mechanisms to facilitate the movement of heavy cargo. Consider the massive blocks used in the construction of the pyramids, where the Egyptians, utilizing an enormous human workforce, ramps, and levers, built monumental structures. 

Of course, the invention of the wheel allowed the Sumerians and Babylonians to build animal-drawn carts, making it easier to transport heavier loads with less effort. 

Or think of medieval drawbridges, which ensured both the city’s safety and the passage of barges and ships beneath them. 

Human ingenuity knows no bounds when it comes to devising creative solutions for solving complex problems, such as handling heavy cargo. Even in maritime transportation, ships have evolved, both in terms of technical advancements and increased cargo capacity. From rowing propulsion, we transitioned to the use of sails and eventually steam engines. From simple vessels, we progressed to specialized and ever-larger ships. Just think about today’s container ships, which can carry up to 24,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units – see FAQ). 

As for road infrastructure, I refer you to the previous article on the evolution of transportation, while concerning the future, I invite you to read the article about drones. Certainly, the future is a matter of imagination. To quote Einstein: ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the world.

Related Content to Explore
Most Recent Posts
Categories
Tags

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Sign up to receive updates from the Supply Chain Insider

Your information will never be shared with any third party.

OUR SERVICES

40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
OUTSOURCING WAREHOUSES
MORE
WE FIT YOUR NEEDS
TRANSPORT & DISTRIBUTION
MORE
DELIVERY AND PICK-UP OF RAW MATERIALS
production support
MORE
EXCLUSIVE PLATFORMS
retail service
MORE
OUTSOURCING WAREHOUSE
E-COMMERCE SERVICES
MORE
STREAMLINING CROSS-BORDER GOODS FLOW
CUSTOM MANAGEMENT
MORE
DESIGN FURNITURE division
DESIGN FURNITURE SERVICES
MORE
Previous slide
Next slide

OUR SERVICES

40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
OUTSOURCING WAREHOUSES
MORE
WE FIT YOUR NEEDS
TRANSPORT & DISTRIBUTION
MORE
DELIVERY AND PICK-UP OF RAW MATERIALS
production support
MORE
EXCLUSIVE PLATFORMS
retail service
MORE
OUTSOURCING WAREHOUSE
E-COMMERCE
 SERVICES
MORE
STREAMLINING CROSS-BORDER GOODS FLOW
CUSTOMS MANAGEMENT
MORE
DESIGN FURNITURE division
DESIGN FURNITURE SERVICES
MORE
Previous slide
Next slide

    Contact us!

    We look forward to hearing from you and providing exceptional transportation solutions tailored to your requirements.

     

     

    This site is protected by Google reCAPTCHA v3, Privacy Policy e Terms of Service di Google.

    hub & logistics

    You are a member!

    Days
    Hours
    Minutes
    Seconds