Uzbekistan is rapidly becoming one of Central Asia’s most important logistics corridors. As the government invests in inland dry ports and multimodal freight hubs, local operators are upgrading their yard equipment to handle growing container volumes from China, Iran, and Black Sea origins.
This case study documents Haitai’s delivery of a 60-ton hydraulic straddle carrier to a container and project logistics operator based in Tashkent Region — and how a custom adjustable-span design solved the specific handling challenges of a Central Asian dry port environment.
Client Background
The client is an established container and project logistics operator headquartered in Tashkent Region, Uzbekistan. The company has been active since 2012 and operates across five business areas: container logistics, port transshipment services, rail multimodal freight, heavy equipment transport, and engineering project logistics.
The company plays a key role in Central Asia’s cross-border supply chain. It handles container flows arriving from China via rail corridor, from Iran via road, and from Black Sea ports through multimodal routing. As a transshipment node, the facility receives, stacks, and redistributes cargo to final destinations across Uzbekistan and neighboring markets.
Why This Project Happened
Uzbekistan is a double-landlocked country. Every sea shipment must travel overland — by rail or road — before reaching a domestic distribution point. The government has responded to rising trade volumes by actively developing inland dry ports and multimodal logistics centers, creating direct demand for professional container handling equipment at facilities that previously operated with basic machinery.
Equipment That Could No Longer Keep Up
Before this project, the client relied on forklifts and small reach stackers for all yard operations. As container throughput grew, three problems became impossible to ignore.
Heavy containers and project cargo exceeded the safe working limits of existing machines. Stacking density was capped at 2–3 tiers, limiting how many boxes the yard could hold. And the growing volume of oversized industrial equipment — wind turbine components, modular machinery, structural steel — required lifting capability that forklifts and small stackers simply could not provide.
The client needed a single machine that could handle standard containers, flat rack specials, and heavy project cargo across a yard with two different lane configurations. That combination pointed directly toward a hydraulic straddle carrier.
Equipment Specification
Core Technical Parameters
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Rated Lifting Capacity | 60 tons |
| Span | 8–15 m (adjustable) |
| Lifting Height | 16 m |
| Drive System | Hydraulic drive |
| Power Source | Self-contained diesel power unit |
| Container Compatibility | 20ft / 40ft / Flat Rack |
| Stacking Capability | 4–5 tiers |
| Travel Mode | Trackless self-propelled |
The Key Custom Feature: Adjustable Span 8–15 Meters
Standard straddle carriers operate at a fixed span. This client requested a telescopic span system adjustable between 8 and 15 meters — an engineering decision driven by three real operational requirements.
Handling multiple container types.
The yard processes 20ft boxes, 40ft standard containers, and flat rack specials within the same daily operation. A fixed-span machine optimized for one format creates inefficiency on the others. The adjustable span lets the operator match machine geometry to the load on every single lift cycle.
Two yard zones with different lane widths.
The facility includes an older yard section with narrower operating lanes and a newer expanded area with wider corridors. At 8 meters, the machine navigates the tight legacy lanes without contact risk. At 15 meters, it operates at maximum efficiency in the wider new zone. One machine covers both areas without compromise.
Oversized project cargo.
Wind turbine blades, industrial modules, and large structural assemblies transiting through the facility regularly exceed standard container footprints. The extended 15-meter span handles these loads directly — eliminating the need for separate specialist lifting arrangements.
Why the Client Chose a Hydraulic Straddle Carrier
Before committing to this equipment type, the client evaluated RTG cranes and reach stackers as alternatives.
| Factor | Hydraulic Straddle Carrier | RTG Crane | Reach Stacker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail infrastructure required | No | Yes | No |
| Lifting capacity | 60T | 40–65T | 40–45T |
| Stacking height | 4–5 tiers | 4–6 tiers | 3–4 tiers |
| Yard flexibility | High | Low | Medium |
| Project cargo capability | Excellent | Limited | Limited |
| Investment level | Medium | High | Medium |
| Fit for Central Asia mid-scale yard | Excellent | Moderate | Moderate |
The hydraulic straddle carrier required no fixed infrastructure, repositioned freely across both yard zones, and covered the full cargo mix — standard containers through to heavy industrial equipment — within a single machine. For a mid-scale Central Asian dry port handling complex cargo types, it was the right fit.
How the Equipment Is Used
Rail-to-Truck Container Transfer
The highest-frequency operation at this facility is the direct transfer of containers between railway wagons and road trucks. The straddle carrier’s trackless mobility allows it to move freely between rail lines and truck lanes without yard reconfiguration — keeping transfer cycles fast and predictable.
Container Yard Stacking
With 16 meters of lifting height and 60 tons of rated capacity, the machine achieves 4–5 tier stacking across the full container mix. Higher stacking density means more containers fit within the existing yard footprint — directly increasing throughput capacity without physical expansion of the facility.
Dry Port Transshipment Operations
The facility serves as a transshipment node for cargo flowing between multiple origin corridors. Fast, flexible yard movement keeps containers cycling through the facility efficiently — reducing dwell time and supporting the client’s turnaround commitments to shipping line and rail operator customers.
Results After Commissioning
| Performance Indicator | Before Delivery | After Commissioning |
|---|---|---|
| Yard handling efficiency | Baseline | +40% |
| Container turnaround time | Baseline | -30% |
| Stacking density | 2–3 tiers | 4–5 tiers |
| Project cargo handling | Subcontracted | Fully in-house |
| Forklift dependency | High | Significantly reduced |
The adjustable span design was directly responsible for eliminating the need for separate equipment across container types and yard zones. The client now manages its full cargo mix — standard boxes, flat racks, and oversized project loads — with a single machine operating across the entire facility.
Delivery and Commissioning
Haitai transported the hydraulic straddle carrier to Tashkent Region in standard shipping configuration. On-site assembly was completed by a Haitai commissioning team, followed by full load testing at rated capacity across both span settings. Operator training covered daily operation procedures, routine maintenance schedules, and safety protocols.
Complete technical documentation was delivered with the unit, including structural calculation reports, hydraulic system diagrams, maintenance manuals, and load test certificates.
About HT Crane
Founded in 2015, Henan Haitai Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. is a nationally certified Class-A manufacturer of special lifting equipment with 30+ patents and classification approvals from ABS, CCS, BV, DNV, RMRS, and ZC. The company’s product range spans RTG cranes, portal cranes, marine cranes, bridge cranes, European-style cranes, and electric hoists — exported to customers across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
