Think Like A Wolf: The Intermodal Single-Person-Operated Mezzanine Deck

Intermodal shipping containers with a mezzanine deck system are the go-to solution for businesses that require safely increased payload, high speed of operation, and flexibility with mixed cargo. With these objectives key to gaining a competitive advantage, Royal Wolf is committed to innovation in this space.

Typically, mezzanine decks require two people to operate them, and the more people there are around moving mechanisms, the higher the potential for accidents.

This pioneering Royal Wolf design significantly reduces that risk, by allowing a single person to control the operation. To those who work with shipping containers on a daily basis, this seemingly simple innovation is a critical one.

Safety is key, says Dale Garson, general manager of engineering at Royal Wolf. “We want to minimise risk as far as we possibly can. So we’ve come up with a design that allows a single person to raise and lower the mezzanine deck in a container.”

“Problem solving is what I do,” explains Dale. “The design process is all about understanding what the customer needs. It’s what drives everything in this part of the business. My job is to interpret those needs, and find a solution. The single-person-operated mezzanine deck solves a real problem that our customers face on a daily basis.”

This innovative Royal Wolf way of thinking has simplified the use of intermodal containers for a host of different industries, meaning payload can be moved more swiftly and safely than ever before.

Solving the ‘single-person challenge’ was not, of course, entirely straightforward. It took a whole week of trials and modifications in the production facility to get the design to a point where it operated seamlessly and successfully. But Dale and the Royal Wolf team’s persistence paid off.

“A single-forklift, single-person operation,” says Dale. “And it just works!”