Yard Location

Yard location is the structured code that describes the exact position of a
container inside a yard, depot or terminal. It tells in which zone, block, row and tier a unit
is stored, so that operators, drivers and systems can find and move it without searching the
whole yard.

Structure of a Yard Location

A typical yard location is built from several elements:

• Zone / area – large section of the yard (e.g. import, export, reefers, empties).
• Block / bay – group of slots within the zone where containers are stacked.
• Row – position along the length of the block.
• Tier – vertical level in the stack (ground tier, 2nd tier, etc.).

In practice, this becomes a short code, for example: IM-A03-07-4, meaning import
area, block A03, row 07, tier 4.

Purpose and Use

Yard locations are the backbone of container positioning on a terminal or depot yard. They are
used to:

• plan where incoming containers will be stored by size, weight, type or next move,
• generate work instructions for yard cranes and terminal trucks,
• keep accurate inventory and find any unit quickly when a truck arrives at the gate,
• separate special zones for reefers, dangerous goods, OOG cargo and long-stay units.

Modern TOS or CYMS systems manage yard locations digitally, showing a map of blocks and slots.
Every move updates the location code in real time, which reduces search time, avoids double
handling and supports safe, efficient use of yard space.