What Is A Chassis Pool

What is a Chassis Pool?

What is a Chassis Pool?Chassis Pool Concepts

IntroPast experience in the industry14 plus years at stevedore company in Port of NJ/NYWorked everything from the ship to the gatesWorked with co-op pools from 1995 to present

So what is a chassis Pool?


Is it a place where can hang out & enjoy a swim? Maybe a cocktail or two.

Actually it is a group of chassis being used by multiple users, and there are two types

What is a Chassis Pool?There are two basic* types of chassis pools.*There are always exceptions! A topic for another day.Neutral Chassis Pools

Cooperative Chassis Pools (A.K.A Co-Op Pools)

There are the two basic chassis pool types.

Of course, there are plenty of exceptions.

But for today discussion, lets talk about Neutral pools and co-ops. The exceptions are variations of these types.

What is a Chassis Pool?Before we get too far into the two types of pools, what are these pool chassis used for?To move containers between two points, likeMarine TerminalsRail RampsContainer YardsDistribution CentersWarehouses

Before we get into the chassis pool discussion, why do we need chassis in the first place?

To move cargo containers between points, likeMarine Terminals, Rail Ramps, Container Yards, Distribution centers & warehouses.

Of course, containers are carry the goods and products that we buy in the store.

So, lets take a look at these facilities and see how chassis are need.


Marine Terminal

Marine Terminals operate both grounded and wheeled operations. A grounded operation does not require chassis, but does need a lot of expensive machinery to operate in a total chassis-less environment. Most U.S. stevedores operate in wheeled or combined operations. Most foreign terminals, where space is an issue have grounded only operations and the trucker is responsible for providing the chassis.

Here is a photo of a vessel discharging containers straight to the ground


Marine Terminal

Here is a marine terminal discharging to wheels. Notice the hustlers (Trucks) and they are utilizing specialized chassis called Bomb carts a.k.a. yard carts


Marine Terminal

Photo of a truckline at a grounded marine terminal. First time container from overseas meeting chassis for delivery to trucker.


Marine Terminal

Photo of a toploader grounding a container from a yard cart.


Rail Ramp

Aerial photo of a rail ramp.Notice tracksWheeled storage areaGrounded storage areaThere is a lane complex


Rail Ramp

Here are RTGs working on rail cars (Rubber tire gantry cranes).Notice double stack containers on bucket cars.Also, point out two 20 containers under 40 containerNotice Trailer on spine carQuestion: What is the difference between Trailers and chassis?


Rail Ramp

Two types of toploaders working at a rail ramp. Bucket car on left, with 2 stacked containersTrailer being loaded on spine care (single height only)

Rails like containers, since it doubles their capacity.


12Pose Question: What is the difference between distribution centers and warehouses?


Distribution Center

Note the conveyor belts. Depending on the distribution center, there may be no storage. Some locations containers are discharged on one-side of the distribution center and the cargo is sorted on the belts and then placed in trailers or containers for delivery to stores.

What is a Chassis Pool?Warehouses

Aerial photo of warehouses. Can both store and distribute cargo.

I have no pictures of container yards to show, and do you know why? .Who wants to see a picture of a parking lot. Container yards are basically storage locations for chassis & containers until they are moving to one of the previously described locations.

What is a Chassis Pool?Container YardMarine TerminalsRail RampsDistribution CentersWarehousesChassis Work Flows

OriginsEnd Points

15

Illustrate some work flows to the group.

Think of Origin points as Airports. Which brings us to neutral pools.

What is a Chassis Pool?A Neutral Chassis Pool consists of a group of third-party owned chassis domiciled at a facility and available to shipping lines and truckers for short-term rental. Neutral Pools are like Car rental agencies.The third-party owns the chassis and rents them to users (i.e. steamship, truckers).Customers pick-up and drop-off the chassis at specific starting locations.

16Analogy of Airport Rental Mention u-haul and one-way charges

What is a Chassis Pool?Benefits of Neutral PoolsFlexible User Agreements with bundled services to include: Per Diem, M&R, Mgmt. Equipment Management Services: Logistics / Forecasting / Repositioning of assets.Networking synergies among all facilitiesImproved asset utilization and shipment velocityReduced capital asset expenditureOver the road repair services

What is a Chassis Pool?Coop pools are a collection of steamship lines that pool their equipment together, in order to reduce costs.Also know as a Grey FleetEach member of the Pool supplies a percentage of equipment relative to their historical or future usage trends. Expenses, such as M&R and re-positioning cost are passed back to the members.Third-party manager only gets a management fee.

What is a Chassis Pool?Benefits of Cooperative PoolsIncreased terminal utilizationImproved asset utilizationEconomies of scaleReduction in M&R expensesHigher velocity and turn timeReduced repositioning cost

What is a Chassis Pool?I hear lot about Domestic and International Pools, but they were not on your list?!

What is a Chassis Pool?The difference between Domestic and International pools are chassis size.Domestics chassis are for 48 & 53 containers.International Chassis are for 20, 40 & 45 containers.Either chassis can be in a neutral or Co-op pool.

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What Is A Chassis Pool