Quay
A Quay (pronounced “key”) is a solid, built-up structure along the waterfront where ships berth alongside to load and discharge cargo and passengers. Running parallel to the shore, a quay provides a stable working face with the depth, mooring points, and space for cranes, storage and vehicles needed to work a vessel. Closely related terms include wharf, pier and jetty, which differ in how they project from the shore.
In a container terminal, the quay (or berth) is where the ship-to-shore gantry cranes work the vessel, and the quay crane is the primary machine that lifts containers between ship and shore. Quay length and depth determine which and how many ships a terminal can handle at once, making the quay a fundamental constraint on port capacity — and the point where the ocean and land sides of the supply chain physically meet.
The quay is where sea meets land — the physical point every container crosses between ship and shore. Its length and depth cap how many and how large the ships a port can serve, so the quay is a fundamental limit on port capacity and the stage on which terminal productivity is won or lost.
What is the difference between a quay and a jetty?
A quay runs along and is built into the shore; a jetty or pier projects out from the shore into the water.
What is a quay crane?
The ship-to-shore gantry crane on the quay that lifts containers between the vessel and the terminal.