This is sort of a part 2 of my “creating realistic _____” guide series, where I go over how to create realistic city infrastructure. This will continue off of that, where we will go in-depth on how to make ports and harbours.
In this guide, we will go over 6 sections: Container, Dry Bulk, Combustible Liquids, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), Shipyards and Cruise Terminals (cruise ships). I’ve split everything into their respective “tabs” for convenience.
Container ports
Often the most common ports, container ports serve as a vital component of a functioning city, allowing the import of food, vehicles, tools and anything else you can shove in a rectangular metal box.
Often, I see container ports as very unorganized places with these little nooks and crannies. However, for a port to be functional, they have to be very organized.
GETTING CONTAINERS TO THE PORT
First of all, the actual containers have to get to the ports to be exported/transported (will not cover ships yet).
There are usually 2 ways of doing this: via trucks or via train.
At every port, there will always be routes for trucks. Not all areas have the capacity for trains, so sometimes, trucks are the only way to get containers to port (ex: Singapore)
Trains are used for high-volume unloading and loading. These take up more space, however can become more efficient.
(A loading/unloading container terminal for trains with an overhead gantry crane in Newark, New Jersey)
CONTAINERS
Containers. The obvious topic of this section. There are 2 common types: 20ft containers and 40ft containers. From my knowledge, 40ft containers are used more often.
When containers are brought into port, they go through a minimum of 3 positions. I usually call them “unsorted”, “awaiting” and “loading”.
“Unsorted” is when containers are just brought into the port, and are put in large stacks further away from water, where they are to be organized and made ready to be put on a ship.
(Stacks of “unsorted” containers, far away from cranes)
“Awaiting” is when containers are organized and assigned to an arriving ship, and are closer to port cranes.
(Stacks of “awaiting” containers, closer to cranes and ready to be loaded)
“Loading” is when containers are actively being loaded onto a ship. These containers are put right underneath cranes so they can pick them up and load them.
(“Loading” containers, awaiting to be loaded onto a ship)
CRANES
Cranes are another essential component to container ports. They are responsible for unloading and loading containers from trains, trucks and ships.
There are usually 2 types of container cranes: gantry cranes and simple cranes
Gantry cranes are cranes with 2 supports and a bridge, often looking like arches. These cranes are responsible for organizing containers, and are often seen with stacks of containers awaiting assignment.
(Gantry cranes responsible for organizing containers)
Simple cranes are the cranes responsible for actually loading containers onto ships, as well as unloading them. They are the cranes right next to the water.
(Simple cranes with their arms raised)
Simple cranes are also divided into different sizes, although when creating a port for a video game, are not all that important
Panamax cranes
Panamax cranes are cranes that are designed for ships that can pass through the Panama Canal. They can often reach 30m (~98ft) outwards and are 38m (~124ft) high.
Post-Panamax cranes
Post-Panamax cranes are cranes that are designed for larger ships, usually not able to cross the Panama Canal (hence the name). They can often reach 45m (~147ft) outwards and are 35m (~115ft) high.
Super Post-Panamax cranes
Super Post-Panamax cranes are the largest of simple cranes, designed for modern day ULCVs (Ultra Large Container Vessels) and Neopanamax ships. They can often reach 50m (~164ft) outwards and are 40m (~131ft) high.
THE SHIPS
Container ships come in all kinds of sizes and shapes. This will go over the most common types and (maybe) their classifications.
Feeder/Feedermax ships
These ships are the smallest of common container ships. They are usually meant for smaller ports, or help deliver containers to larger ships too large to come into port.
(A Feedermax ship)
Panamax ships
Panamax ships are ships that are able to fit in the Panama Canal (before expansion). They are usually 32m (~106ft) in width, 294m (~965ft) in length, and are ~14 containers across. They can be easily recognized by their more rear-orientated bridge, and the downwards slope of containers towards the front, usually for visibility
(A Panamax ship in port)
Post-Panamax ships
Post-Panamax ships are ships that were not able to fit in the Panama Canal (before expansion). They are usually 43m (~141ft) in width, 340m (~1115ft) in length, and are ~16 containers across. They are quite similar to Panamax ships, just larger.
(A Post-Panamax ship rear view)
Neopanamax ships
Neopanamax ships are ships that are able to fit through the Panama Canal after its expansion. They are usually 49m (~160ft) in width, 366m (~1200ft) in length, and are ~19 containers across. They often have 2 layouts: double structure layouts where the bridge is closer to the front and the smokestacks closer to the rear, or single structure layouts where the bridge and smokestack are together, and are closer to the rear.
(A Neopanamax ship rear view)
VLCS
VLCS (Very Large Container Ship) are much larger ships, usually too large for the Panama Canal (even after expansion. They are usually 58m (~190ft) in width, >400m (>1312ft) in length, and are ~22 containers across. A good example of a VLCS is Maersk’s E-Class container ships.
(One of Maersk’s E-Class ship, considered a VLCS)
ULCS/ULCV
ULCS (Ultra Large Container Ship) or ULCV (Ultra Large Container Vessel) are the largest container ships in the world. They are extremely wide, and always come in a double structure layout. They are usually 59-61m (~193 - ~200ft) in width, 400-420m (~1312 - ~1377ft) in length, and are ~24 containers across. A good example of a ULCS is the Evergiven, the ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021.
(A ULCS ship heading into port)
Dry Bulk ports
Dry Bulk ports are ports that handle the transferring of loose cargo, often powder form. Things such as coal, sand, grain, concrete and ore are commonly transported using Dry Bulk ships.
These parts of ports are often an overseen area, where in real life are almost as essential as container ports.
GETTING CARGO TO THE PORT
The most common way of getting Dry Bulk products to port is via train due to efficiency.
Train yards often go next to large silos, used to store cargo before being loaded onto ships.
(A concrete terminal)
There isn’t very much information on this part, maybe its sort of confidential. I’m not sure, but this is all I really have.
STORAGE AND LOADING/UNLOADING
There are usually 2 ways of storing dry bulk cargo when it arrives: in silos or dumping it onto the ground.
Silos are usually used when there isn’t much space or if the cargo is sensitive to the elements.
(Dry Bulk cargo stored in silos)
The other way of storing them is dumping them on the ground, usually when lots of space is available and is not sensitive to the elements.
(Piles of coal at a bulk terminal)
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There are a multitude of loading methods, and different methods are used depending on the material.
Conveyor belt loading
The most common out of the bunch, this uses conveyors to transport the material (often coal or ore) and dumps it into the ship’s hold.
(A bulk terminal conveyor loading complex)
Grab loading
For certain minerals, fertilizers or scrap metal, cranes with grab-arms are used to load material onto the ship. These are often in smaller ports, which do not have the budget or space for conveyors.
(A bulk grab loader crane)
Self-loading
On more modern ships, some bulk carriers come with their own conveyors/cranes.
(A bulk carrier with its own unloading cranes)
Pneumatic loading
Usually used for more granular materials like concrete and grain. Pneumatic loading utilizes high air pressure to blow material through pipes and into a ship’s hold.
(No image)
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Unloading use very similar methods to loading, often just reversed.
Grab unloading
Basically the same as grab loading, but for unloading
(The unloading procedure inside the ship’s hold)
Conveyor unloading
Conveyor unloading is usually used if ships have their own conveyor systems, and can transfer it to shore into another conveyor which transfers it to the main terminal.
(No image, I’m pretty sure you can imagine what it looks like)
Pneumatic unloading
Same as pneumatic loading, just the other way around.
THE SHIPS
Like container ships, bulk carrier ships (will refer to them as bulk carriers from now on) have their own categories based off of size.
Characteristics
Bulk carriers are pretty distinct. They have a different design compared to container ships, and with a bit of knowledge, are easily recognizable.
Bulk carriers store their cargo inside the hull, which means there is hardly any hallways or rooms in the hull, and are all near the bridge structure. On the deck, there are multiple “gates” that open up during loading/unloading.
(A bulk carrier’s hold, open)
Some bulk carriers include their own loading/unloading cranes which can be very vital in more remote ports without proper infrastructure
(A bulk carrier with loading/unloading cranes)
On the bridge house, sometimes there are some massive labels saying “NO SMOKING” as it can create a fire hazard if the carrier is hauling something dry and flammable, like grain. However, these labels are much more common on tankers.
Handysize
The smallest of the bunch, they are 10-15m (32-49ft) wide and 130-150m (426-492ft) in length.
(A Handysize bulk carrier)
Handymax
A larger version of the Handysize, around wide 30-32m (98-104ft) and 150-180m (492-590ft) in length
(A Handymax bulk carrier)
Supramax
The next size up, around 32-38m (104-124ft) wide and 190-230m (623-755ft) in length
(A Supramax bulk carrier)
Panamax
Like its container ship cousin, these were built to fit inside the Panama Canal (most likely before the expansion as there is no “neopanamax”). They are around 32-35m (104-114ft) wide and 230-290m (755-951ft) in length.
(A Panamax bulk carrier)
Capesize
Some of the largest bulk carriers, Capesizes are too large to cross the Panama Canal, meaning they must go through the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn, hence the name. They are around 32-50m (104-164ft) wide and 230-300m (755-985ft) in length
(A Capesize bulk carrier)
ULOC (Ultra Large Ore Carrier)
The ULOC class are the largest bulk carriers in the world. They are around 50-60m (164-196ft) wide and 300-340m (985-1115ft) long.
(A ULOC class bulk carrier)
Combustible liquid ports (gas, diesel, oil)
Combustible liquid ports are as they suggest, things like oil, gas, etc., and for a place that can export lots of oil, can be a sector that earns much more due to the constant demand for oil and its refined counterparts.
Liquid ports actually have some things in common with dry bulk ports, but also have their distinctions.
GETTING LIQUID TO THE PORT
Trains are usually the most used mode of transportation, as they can haul lots and do not require very expensive infrastructure. Terminals have special apparatuses to safely unload oil from tanker cars.
(An unloading apparatus for oil)
The other way, but much more expensive, are pipelines. These are far less common, but can offer greater efficiency and reliability.
STORAGE
You’ve probably seen what an oil barrel looks like. But using those for storage can be costly in bulk. So what do you do? Enlarge them. A lot.
Oil tanks come in a couple different variants. Here is a really basic chart.
These tanks can actually be really massive, or really small depending on their use. In ports, usually the closer to the water, the smaller the tanks become as they are used for short term storage only.
(Oil tanks (circles) get smaller closer to water)
LOADING/UNLOADING
There is really only one way to load an tanker, through pipes. Pipes that connect to the storage tanks (or refinery, will cover later) head to a terminal, and that terminal connects to a ship to be loaded or unloaded. It can go both ways.
(A loading/unloading terminal)
REFINERIES
These are a kind of hard to categorize, so these will have their own place.
Sometimes, ports will have an oil refinery right at port, so oil is imported to the refinery, and the refinery can create a certain refined variant of oil at the port, and load it onto a ship.
(An oil refinery right at port)
Unfortunately, I am too dumb to learn how oil refineries work. I have the basic idea, but I don’t know how they are planned and laid out. They are extremely complex and may take days to fully understand. I suggest you to search up pictures of refineries or look at Maps and try to replicate them. They are not as simple as a box with smokestacks and an oil tank. They have pipes, metal structures, tanks, distillation tanks, burners and so much more that I can’t cover here.
THE SHIPS
Tankers are sort of similar to bulk carriers, since their decks are near flat, however, there are some things that make tankers stand out.
Tankers often have pipes running all along the decks of the ship, and no cranes. Tankers also often have “NO SMOKING”
Handysize
One of the smallest tankers, these usually only hold refined liquids such as gasoline and diesel, not crude oil. They are around 150-200m (492-656ft) in length, and 23-32m (75-105ft) wide.
(A Handysize tanker)
Panamax
These tankers are a general purpose carrier, transporting both refined and unrefined liquids. They are around 200-245m (656-804ft) in length and 32-33m (105-108ft) wide.
(A Panamax tanker)
Aframax
Slightly larger than Panamax tankers, Aframax tankers were named after the Average Freight Rate Assessment (AFRA) implemented by Shell in the 50’s to standardize shipping contracts. They are around 230-250m (755-820ft) in length and 32-44m (105-144ft) wide.
(An Aframax tanker)
Suezmax
At this size, tankers begin transitioning to only carrying crude oil. The Suezmax is right at the border, carrying both, but mostly crude oil. They are pretty large, being 250-275m (820-903ft) in length and 43-50m (141-164ft) wide.
(A Suezmax tanker)
VLCC
Also known as Very Large Crude Carriers, these are the second largest class of tankers in the world, carrying only crude oil (hence the name). They are beasts on the water, being 300-330m (984-1083ft) in length, and 50-60m (164-197ft) wide.
(A VLCC)
ULCC
Ultra Large Crude Carriers often carry the title of largest ships in the world, most famously, the Seawise Giant. These ships are as long as the height of some skyscrapers. They are around 330-400m (1083-1312ft) long and 58-65m (190-213ft) wide.
(The “Jarhe Viking”, one of the largest ships in the world)
Liquified Natural Gas
LNG ports are a lot harder to find, as only a number of places have sufficient infrastructure to import and export natural gas.
STORAGE
The storage of natural gas is pretty similar to oil, however, natural gas needs to be cooled down to around -160 degrees celsius for it to become liquified. The tanks are double layered, with the inner layer being some sort of aluminum alloy to withstand the freezing temperatures. In between the outer layer is an insulation, preventing outside heat penetrating the tank.
Tanks are either above ground, or for maximum efficiency, buried somewhat underground with only the lid of the tank exposed.
(A natural gas tank)
LOADING/UNLOADING
The loading/unloading process is pretty much identical to oil. Piers extend out to the water with pipes, which connect to LNG carriers for unloading.
(A LNG carrier connected to a loading pier)
THE SHIPS
LNG carriers often have massive “tanks” on top of the deck to store natural gas. These come in a couple of shapes, most notably, the massive spheres.
Unfortunately, sources are extremely mixed when it comes to LNG carrier classifications, and I don’t want to risk giving out false information. For now, I will have this small chart for general size classes, but do note, this is a best guess of mine.
This section is pretty short, but you can take things from combustible liquid ports and apply them here, and they should generally work together fine. The major difference is the ships, but you can search them up yourself and see what fits for you.
Shipyards
Shipyards are not very common, as these sites are dedicated to creating ships and repairing them. Places in Asia have a pretty high concentration of shipyards, as they have different practices, labor costs and other variables.
DRY DOCKS
Dry docks are the main component of shipyards. A dry dock is basically a little parking spot for a ship, and when the doors close, the water inside can be drained, allowing workers to go in and work on the underside of the ship. Other times, the dry dock itself is raised out of the water.
(A dry dock holding 2 vessels)
Beside the dry docks are usually large cranes, meant to funnel parts from the dock onto the ship itself. There are either regular cranes that hoist smaller sections up, or massive gantry cranes that can lift entire chunks of ships into position.
(A dry dock gantry crane)
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
I will also include the construction of offshore platforms here because I think they’re cool.
Offshore platforms, especially smaller ones, are not built on dry docks, as their legs usually reach the bottom of the harbor, allowing workers to just walk on and begin construction.
Singapore has a section dedicated to shipbuilding, and there are a few offshore platforms that you can see.
Similar cranes to regular ship building is used for offshore platforms, however, gantry cranes are almost never used.
BUILDING THE SHIPS
Ships are put together in sections. Sometimes, you’ll be able to see something like half a cargo ship under construction, as the next section is being worked on and will be slid into place to be welded or bolted together.
(A shipyard in Kure, Japan, assembling a container ship)
Cruise terminals
Unlike everything else we have discussed, these ports are not for cargo, but for people. I like to think of cruise terminals like airport terminals, as they share a generally similar layout and function.
This is an extremely watered down layout plan:
- Entrance/lobby
- Baggage: where people collect and drop off their luggage for organization purposes
- Ticketing: Sort of like airport check-in areas.
- Security: Same as airports. X-rays, guards, etc.
- Waiting areas: Lounges, common areas, shops, restaurants, etc.
- Gangways: Similar to airport gates, these are little bridges that connect the cruise ship to the terminal to allow people to get on and off.
Cruise terminals are very similar to airport terminals, so you can kind of mix and match them together.
These sections are usually a couple of levels above the ground, and that is because cargo is being loaded onto the cruise ship at the same time. Every time a cruise ship docks, it needs supplies, like food, toiletries and so many other things. The WSJ on YouTube do a good job at explaining this, where hundreds of thousands of pounds of food are loaded within half a day.
(The dock next to a cruise ship, with tons of supplies ready to be loaded on)
THE SHIPS
The cruise ship size classifications are very muddled, as every cruise ship company basically have their own size classifications. What I would recommend to do is to search up a company that you want to sort of take inspiration from, and look at their fleet, and choose a size. Companies like Royal Caribbean have lots of different sizes, and smaller ones like MSC Cruises have less selections.
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Conclusion/Notes
I have a couple of things I just want to say that do relate to this guide
First of all, if there is ANYTHING you want to ask or add, feel free to in replies. Some parts of this guide get very messy, and sources get very mixed. I am not an expert, but if you feel qualified to add or remove something, tell me. Feedback is very much appreciated.
Yes, this is a guide, but I do not want anyone to follow this religiously. This is simply something to help you get on your feet and start building. I don’t want your game to fail because the map that you made was not engaging. Make it to be engaging, following this guide is not a priority.
Please go and research things yourself. As I said before, this is a like a stepping stone. You learning can become much more potent in creating something like this. Curiosity sparks learning, learning sparks application.
If you’ve made it through this absolute monolith of text, I thank you. This guide took much longer than expected due to the amount of conflict between sources.
My fingers are numb.