ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN | 901

PORT OF BANGKOK , THAILAND

PRESENTATION BY :
SHAMIK SHINDE, SHRUTI PATKAR, SHALIN KAPDI, AJAY KUSHWAHA
WHAT IS A PORT ?

An area of land and water including facilities destined mainly for receiving vessels, loading, unloading and storing
cargoes, receiving and delivering the cargoes from/to land transport means; they may also include activities of firms
linked to the sea-borne trade

Bangkok Port popularly
known as Khlong Toei Port 
is an international port on
the Chao Phraya
River in Khlong Toei
District of the Thai capital
city, Bangkok

It is operated by the 
Port Authority of Thailand.

Until recently, Bangkok Port

was one of the world's 100
busiest container ports. The
port also offers a
conventional quay for loading
and unloading cargo.
 Bangkok Port was constructed in 1938 with the
purpose to enable large sea- going ships to
transport goods directly to Bangkok. The work
was interrupted during the second world war and
completed after the war ended.
In 1961, the Royal Thai Government started its effort
to construct a new deep-sea port at Laem Chabang,
Chonburi to accommodate larger vessels which
could not enter the Bangkok Port.
HISTORY
Since 1977 the loading and unloading of
containers at the Bangkok Port had been
gradually increased every year until the
Port began to be congested with containers
due to the insufficient of handing
equipment.
Between 1987 – 1989 the severe
congestion condition was taken place and
the PAT had accelerated the development
of the East Quays into the berths by
installing 7 Gantry cranes in the first place
and had been added through the
purchasing until now there are altogether
14 Gantry cranes in service.
The areas behind the port was improved so
that the containers could be placed
effectively and necessary handling
equipment were provided
Classification of Ports in Thailand
• Ports developed and constructed by
Marine Department management.
• Ports developed and managed by state
enterprises.
• Private ports.
The Bangkok port falls under PAT, A
management authority of Thailand.
Purpose
• To handle the increasing volume of containers
and greater number of coastal vessels calling at
Bangkok Port
• To increase the container yard capacity for
serving a larger number of containers from coastal
vessels in the future
• To offer port users more alternatives,
convenience, rapidity, and safety in cargo transport
services
Capacity : 240,000 TEUs / year
Start implemented in March 2018
Wharf length: 250-meter
3 coastal vessels can be served at a time
2 Units of Rail-Mounted Gantry Cranes
 WEST QUAY

EAST QUAY

BANGKOK PORT PLAN

 Bangkok Port stands on a plot of
land of about 944 acres. 344 acres
are inside the Customs fence and
are utilized for operational
purposes.

It consists of transit sheds,

warehouses, open storage areas,
administration buildings and
wharves. 

Another 51 acres are outside the

customs fence, 29 acres for future
expansion. 344 acres are for
business use, 100 acres are slum
area and 76 acres are for access
roads.

AREA DISTRIBUTION
CONNECTIVITY
 • Bangkok port is continuously working on capacity
development and progressive capacity enhancement.
• Because of which there is a lot of vessel and container
traffic on west quay terminal ,to divert and distribute
the traffic of west,
•  the port have come up with east quay terminal. 
• Now there are 2 harbour service division 
     1.East quay terminal   
     2.west quay terminal

site map ​

• Quantity –8 quays
• Harbour Length-1,528 meters
• Annual capacity-1.5 millions of TEUs of containers 
• Vessel type:
      1.costal vessel
1,52       2.container vessel  
8M
   ​
  (Max.depth-8.2m​
  Max.length-172m)

1.East quay terminal   ​ Container vessel   ​

FORM AND USED BEHAVIOUR – EAST QUAY

EAST
QUAY
 1 2
1,600 M   ​
3

2. West quay terminal   ​

4
• Quantity –10quays 5
• Harbour Length-1,600 meters
• Annual capacity-1.5 millions of
TEUs of containers 
• Vessel type:
      1.Cargo vessel
      2.Costal vessel
      3.Cruise vessel   Plan showing cargos area in west quay terminal 
1,17,575 sq.m of area of west terminal is occupied by cargo,
which includes-
1.Transit cargo
2.Dangerous cargo
3.Unclaimed cargo
4.Bonded cargo
5.Automobile cargo

WEST
QUAY
WEST
QUAY
FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM
 CARGO OPERATION PLANNING

Pre Arrival Planning Working Schedule Performance Review

Berth Allocation

Resources Allocation

Estimating Operation Time

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM

 SHIP OPERATION

Organizing Loading Unloading

• General supervision • Preparation • Preparation and

(making hatch list) • Lifting hooking on of cargo in
• Tallying • Up hooking and cargo the hold
• Safety storage • Lifting of cargo to quay
• Hook return to quay. • Landing of cargo and
unhooking
• Return of hook to hold.

From the ship – to the quay– containers wait to be picked up by a truck

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM

Machinery used to load/ unload the cargo -

1. Reach stackers - 2. Rubber Tyred Gantry –

Rubber tyred gantries have wheels. Larger version may

run on tracks.
Can straddle multiple rows of containers
Fully or semi-automatic

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM

 QUAY TRANSFER OPERATION

Cargo Loading Transfer Cargo Unloading Transfer

• Pick-up of cargo • Pick-up of cargo
• Transfer to quay apron • Transfer to storage
• Landing of cargo under the hook • Landing/ Stacking
• Return to the storage area • Return to quayside

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM

 STORAGE OPERATION

Planning Storage Supervision Storage Storage

Operation Operation

• Empty Container Area • Transit Storage (short

• Incoming Container term)
Area • Long-term storage
• Outgoing Container • Re-processing (logistic)
Area

1. Empty Container Area – Empty containers are dropped off or picked up

2. Incoming Container Area – a. Incoming dry, b. Incoming Reefer. Containers offloaded from the vessel are moved
here to await pick up

3. Outgoing container area – a. Outgoing dry, b. Outgoing Reefer. Containers to be loaded on vessel are unloaded and
stored in this area.

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM

In storage yard -

Most efficient way to stack the containers –

Ensure the container isn’t burried too deep in stacks.

While planning – reducing number of operations required to access the required container.

Time required to load containers on ship – 40 to 50 containers per hour.

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM

 RECEIPT/ DELIVERY

Co-ordination Positioning Loading/ Dispatch

Discharging

Road Rail Barge

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM

FLOWCHART OF PORT SYSTEM
 1. Dredging - 
Dredging is excavation carried out underwater or partially underwater, in
shallow waters or ocean waters. It keeps waterways and ports navigable,
by gathering up bottom sediments and transporting it elsewhere. 
Dredging is a four-part process: loosening the material, bringing the
material to the surface (together extraction), transportation and disposal.
Proper transportation facilities and roads should be made to carry the
extracted material.

2. Vessel traffic service -

 is a marine traffic monitoring system established by harbor or port
authorities, similar to air traffic control for aircraft. A traffic
organization service is a service to prevent the development of
dangerous maritime traffic situations and to provide for the safe and
efficient movement of vessel traffic within the VTS area.
A control center is needed to perform this specific activity.

3. Storage and warehousing of merchandise on land -

 Warehousing is of critical importance because it allows businesses to

store their goods at a port, as opposed to a separate distribution center.
Thus it is economical to have warehouses on the port itself.

FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES BY PORT

4. Offices - Office buildings are necessary to house the
large workforce operating the port.

5. Utility uses - Toilets, Water supply facilities,

Electricity facilities are also necessary.

6. Infrastructure links - Railways, roads, canals,

tunnels and bridges within the port area

7. Cargo Handling
- the activity of moving goods on and off ships.
Gantry cranes are used for this purpose & a good
amount of space is required for cargo handling.
Main Facilities –

1.Marshaling Yard

•Where ships are assembled and goods

are loaded
•For closed container terminal system
and closing time, gates with required
number of lanes must be prepared at
entrance of marshaling yard.
•Usually divided in some yards
controlled by individual units.

SPACE PROGRAM
2.Container Freight Stations (CFSs)

•It is a distribution facility/ warehouse where import and export shipments are
consolidated and de-consolidated. CF’s are key component in any supply chain,
moving interior point intermodal (IPI) freight.
•IPI freight is used to define inbound freight moves from a port to a shipper’s
door within the interior of the country via a domestic or international intermodal
container.
•Freight - goods transported in bulk by ship.

3.Storage Yard For Empty Containers-

148,193 sq .m(capacity of 2,296 TEUs)
 ​
7.Area of Cargo-Handling Machines and
4.Parking lot of container chassis and tractors cargo storage
•Required no of container chassis – 210 and tractors – 110 -5,569 square meters
•Chassis – length : 12.4m, width: 2.5m
•Tractor – length : 12.19m, width: 2.44m, height: 2.9m 8.Parking Lots
•This is at the gate
•2590 passenger cars
•420 trucks
•80 tractors – chassis units

9.Area for Offices near Checking Post 1

•Fire Station and common use building – floor space –

2550sqm
•Site Area of 892 sqm to be left
5.Repair Shop and Cleaning Area
10.Required Numbers of machines for handling
•A repair shop of damaged containers with site area of conventional cargoes
1500sqm planned to be prepared within storage yard for
empty containers at this port. •Forklifts (5 to 10 tons) – 28
•Cleaning Area is also allocated at the same yard.
•Forklifts (5 tons) – 14
•Forklifts (3 tons) – 18
6.Terminal Offices •Tractor – trailer/trucks – 33
•Floor space area of 600sqm (at gate3)
11.LCL Reefer Yard
•Reefer Yard – Big fridges that are used to transport
temperature controlled cargos such as fruits, meat, fish, etc.
•LCL – Less than Container Load
•FCL – Full Container Load
•This area needs plugs. (340 estimated for Bangkok port )
12.Required Number of Lanes at the Terminal
Gate
•Designed according to the result of the simulation in terms
of daily traffic volume through the terminal gates
•7 lanes at each gate
 • Port warehouses have some unique requirements that inland warehouses do not.

• Warehouses in and around ports often need appropriately surfaced, open yard areas to
accommodate the handling of heavy containers. These warehouses frequently specialize
in heavy lifts, and abnormal cargo, meaning their architectural design and material
handling equipment requirements differ from inland warehouses.

• Forklifts, front-end loaders, reach stackers and gantry cranes facilitate the handling of a
variety of commodities at the ports.

A port warehouse needs to consider the use of overhead gantry cranes to lift heavier items
and/or containers and it is often necessary for an on-site rigger to be employed to oversee
special lifting jobs.

Due to the nature of the goods being imported and exported, fumigation, lashing and
dunnaging services are often needed, while private rail sidings are used to assist in the
movement of bulkier items.

REQUIREMENTS OF WATERFRONT WAREHOUSING

 • GOODS-INTAKE
• SORTING
INCOMING

• BULK STOCK STORAGE

• STOCK PICKING
PROCESSING

• ORDER ASSEMBLY
• CHECK-OUT LOADING
OUTGOING

STORAGE OPERATION

 Warehouse building selection depends on scale and type of storage

operation.
 Different methods of storage unit loads imply various levels of
efficiency in building volume and accessibility to load.
 This also affects selection of mechanic handling equipment
 Usually 1/3rd area is given to high bay area and 2/3rd is given to
lower bay area for order picking and assembly.
 A gross area of 70,000 to 90,000 square feet can be
provided for a port warehouse.

The width and length can be determined from the

dimensions of the site and the space required for
access roads and railroad sidings.

A clear height of 22 to 24 ft should be given

It would be ample to allow for automatic sprinklers

for fire protection and pendant electric lights .

Bay spacing of 20 to 40 ft appears to be common

practice.

STANDARDS OF WATERFRONT WAREHOUSING

MIN.REQUIREMENTS OF WATERFRONT WAREHOUSING
It can be divided into three
separate and
approximately equal
storage areas by 12-in-
thick precast reinforced
concrete transverse fire
walls.

Columns at the exterior

walls and fire walls should
be preferably reinforced
concrete, poured-in-place.

Interior columns should be

structural steel spaced 50ft
apart, and column bays to
be spaced 40 ft apart.

Steel doors measuring 16

ft wide by 16 ft high .
 A. ​
A. ​ B. ​ C. ​
C. ​

D. ​

B. ​ D.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS OF BKP

Program component Space No.of spaces /users Area (sq.m) Description 

West quay
Empty cointainer yard  1.Maintainance shop(1700 containers are stored or held
sqm) in transit, once they are
2.cointainer cleaning area(4000 25,150  unloaded.
sqm) This depot provides a single
3.2 office(6,350sqm)
place where shipping and
logistics companies can keep
their containers until it is
time for reloading.

Export cfs 3 Stations with 9,000 sqm each      A warehouse where cargo that
(180X 50 m )          27000 belongs to various exporters is
consolidated before being
exported 

Import cfs 4 stations with 7,500 sqm each            A warehouse

(150x50m)                      30,000 where cargo that belongs to
various importers is
unconsolidated before being
imported

Storage yard for dangerous Area for hazardous cargo

cargo 82,600

Open storage yard Open storage where cargos

30,300 unload and later repositioned

Cargo-handling equipment's 1.Gas station Area for servicing of various

area 2.Repair shop for handling handling equipment's used on
units (2 numbers) 44,500 port 
3.Canteen
4.Office

Shed Refer yard 30,350

Bus station 
14,000

AREA PROGRAM OF BKP

Program component Space No.of spaces /users Area (sq.m) Description 

West quay
Parking for chasis and tractor 
32,300

Parking lot 2 numbers      

         1,11,000

ggff         
East quay
Terminal 1 and 2 Rtg station 1-235 sqm  Area for storage of container
Rtg station 2-856 sqm  84,550 vessel

Terminal 3 Rtg station3-340 sqm Area for storage of costal vesel

30,300

Reefer bay Rtg station 4-227 sqm Area where refeer

containers(big fridges that are
45,265 used to transport temperature
controlled cargoes such as
fruits, meat, fish, seafood) are
stored 

Office 210

Parking lot
1750

AREA PROGRAM OF BKP

• Bangkok port have empty container zone of 25,000 sqm  in east quay with total container capacity of 10,400
TEU's

• Combine terminal 1 and terminal 2 area of 84,000 which stores container vessel with capacity of 7,680 TEU's

• Terminal 3 , area of 30,300 sqm stores costal vessel with capacity of 3,700 TEU's

• Refeer bay with area of 45,000 sqm stores refeer containers with capacity of 1,000 TEU,s 

•  Therefore ,the total stoarge capacity of containers in BKP is 22,780 TEU's

Note : The data of container capacity have been calculated with respect to bays,rows and
tiers provided in plans and section drawings of BKP

CONTAINER CAPACITY IN TEU'S OF BKP

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvGAWo2r8oQ

• https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/2.2_Country%20presentation_Thailand_Marine%20department.pdf

• http://gec.jp/jcm/seminar/2019thailand/4-1_PAT.pdf

• https://commons.wmu.se/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2096&context=all_dissertations

• http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/review/THA_Port_of_Bangkok_1538.php

• https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/217233246.pdf

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JcHMhtH6_s

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfDFKgGNP6s

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQM-4yZVe0c

REFERENCES