Aerial view of the vehicle storage yard and a RoRo vessel at berth
Operational playbook

RoRo Operation
Discharge Plan

5,000 vehicles in 20 operating hours

Step-by-step control from pre-arrival planning to final delivery, with manpower, KPI and yard-capacity calculations.

King Abdullah Port, Rabigh
Berth 16 · vehicle storage yard

Prepared for operational execution

1

Discharge flow at a glance

Nine gated stages keep vehicle flow safe, traceable and synchronized.

Operating principles

1

Safety first

No movement until the lane is released and confirmed clear.

2

One source of truth

VIN, condition and bay location updated at every scan point.

3

Continuous flow

Vessel, ramp, inspection and yard teams operate to one discharge rhythm.

Navigate Click any stage above, or press 1–9 from any slide to jump straight to it.
2
CDEF
KING ABDULLAH PORT / BERTH 16

Yard command overview

ILLUSTRATIVE SIMULATIONNO LIVE TERMINAL FEED
PARKED ON PLAN 01
540/ 4,128

13.1% of illustrative bays occupied

IN TRANSIT 02
—vehicles

Moving from vessel to receiving rows

OPEN BAYS 03
—unoccupied

Within the illustrated parking layout

NEW ARRIVALS PARKED 04
0vehicles

Added to 540 pre-positioned cars

BERTH 16 · CIRCULATIONINTERACTIVE 3D
TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTIONSplit early. Park locally.
WEST SPINE—in transit
EAST SPINE—in transit
Central-only packing trial.
Up to 25 deep · Lane-order release.
Access and obstacles unverified.
Central blocksSouth blocksCars enlarged on approach
Drag to orbit · Scroll to zoom
Imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics · Concept vehicle movements
3

Pre-Arrival Planning and Coordination

Align vessel, terminal, labor, yard and documentation before all-fast.

Step 1 of 9
Pre-Arrival Planning and Coordination

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Confirm ETA, berth, ramp position and cargo manifest.
  2. 2 Validate VIN list, model mix, exceptions and customs status.
  3. 3 Freeze manpower, radios, traffic route, parking zones and contingency plan.

Control points

  • Approved deck and discharge plan
  • Joint toolbox talk and communication matrix
  • Yard capacity and emergency lanes confirmed
Discharge sequence Stage 1 of 9
Next → 2 · Discharge Sequence Planning
4

Discharge Sequence Planning

Convert the vessel stow plan into a safe, uninterrupted lane-by-lane release.

Step 2 of 9
Discharge Sequence Planning

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Prioritize ramp-accessible lanes and destination blocks.
  2. 2 Match deck release rate to inspection and yard absorption.
  3. 3 Mark non-runners, damaged units and special handling cargo.

Control points

  • Master sequence issued by deck and terminal control
  • No cross-flow between active lanes
  • Hold points used to prevent yard congestion
Discharge sequence Stage 2 of 9
Next → 3 · Cargo Unlashing Operations
5

Cargo Unlashing Operations

Release only the vehicles scheduled for immediate movement.

Step 3 of 9
Cargo Unlashing Operations

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Supervisor authorizes the active lane.
  2. 2 Remove straps, chains and wheel chocks completely.
  3. 3 Clear securing gear from the driving path before driver entry.

Control points

  • Continuous supervision
  • Only discharge or shift units are unlashed
  • Positive confirmation that all restraints are removed
Discharge sequence Stage 3 of 9
Next → 4 · Vessel Cargo Discharge
6

Vessel Cargo Discharge

Move vehicles from deck to quay under marshal control and controlled speed.

Step 4 of 9
Vessel Cargo Discharge

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Driver performs quick start, brake and steering check.
  2. 2 Follow marshal signals and designated ramp lane.
  3. 3 Maintain safe spacing; stop immediately on loss of communication.

Control points

  • Dedicated ramp marshal and signal system
  • Seat belt on, lights as instructed, no mobile phone
  • Defects and non-runners diverted to exception process
Discharge sequence Stage 4 of 9
Next → 5 · Initial Inspection and VIN Scanning
7

Initial Inspection and VIN Scanning

Create the first port-side condition and identity record.

Step 5 of 9
Initial Inspection and VIN Scanning

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Scan VIN against discharge manifest.
  2. 2 Conduct a rapid 360° visual damage inspection.
  3. 3 Photograph and segregate mismatches or fresh damage.

Control points

  • VIN match before yard release
  • Timestamped exception evidence
  • Fast lane for clean units; quarantine lane for exceptions
Discharge sequence Stage 5 of 9
Next → 6 · Yard Parking and Marshalling
8

Yard Parking and Marshalling

Place each SUV once, in the correct block, with safe one-door access.

Step 6 of 9
Yard Parking and Marshalling

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Marshal directs vehicle to assigned zone and bay.
  2. 2 Park straight within markings with controlled side clearance.
  3. 3 Switch off engine and lights; close windows, mirrors and doors as instructed.

Control points

  • One-way circulation and pedestrian separation
  • Keys and vehicle status controlled
  • No random parking or unrecorded relocation
Discharge sequence Stage 6 of 9
Next → 7 · Final Inspection, VIN Scan and Location Record
9

Final Inspection, VIN Scan and Location Record

Close the discharge transaction with verified identity, condition and precise bay location.

Step 7 of 9
Final Inspection, VIN Scan and Location Record

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Complete final condition check.
  2. 2 Rescan VIN and confirm the unit record.
  3. 3 Record zone, row and bay in the terminal system.

Control points

  • 100% VIN-to-location accuracy target
  • Damage exceptions linked to evidence
  • Inventory dashboard updated in real time
Discharge sequence Stage 7 of 9
Next → 8 · Customs Clearance Process
10

Customs Clearance Process

Release only vehicles with complete documentation and customs authorization.

Step 8 of 9
Customs Clearance Process

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Reconcile manifest, VIN and clearance documents.
  2. 2 Present selected units for inspection when requested.
  3. 3 Update status from customs hold to released.

Control points

  • Secured customs hold area
  • No physical release without system authorization
  • Exception log for document or identity mismatch
Discharge sequence Stage 8 of 9
Next → 9 · Cargo Delivery and VIN Verification
11

Cargo Delivery and VIN Verification

Hand over the correct cleared vehicle to the authorized consignee or transporter.

Step 9 of 9
Cargo Delivery and VIN Verification

Execution sequence

  1. 1 Verify release order and transporter authorization.
  2. 2 Scan VIN at the delivery gate.
  3. 3 Capture handover time, condition and receiver acknowledgement.

Control points

  • Three-way match: VIN, release order, receiver
  • Final gate condition check
  • System status changed to delivered
Discharge sequence Stage 9 of 9
Next → KPI and manpower calculation
12

KPI and manpower calculation

The planned deployment provides a 2% buffer above the 5,000-vehicle target. Adjust drivers or cycle time to test the plan.

Target
5,000
cars / 20 h
Cycle time
8
min / car
Drivers
68
34 per shift
Planned output
5,100
cars / 20 h

Shift calculation · drag to test the plan

34 drivers × 600 min ÷ 8 min/car

= 2,550 cars per 10-hour shift

Two shifts: 2,550 × 2 = 5,100 cars

Capacity buffer

100 cars
2.0% above target
06,000 cars / 20 h

Operational note: breaks, driver transfers, congestion and exceptions can consume this buffer. Maintain relief coverage and live hourly control.

13

Hourly production control

Use a 255-car hourly run rate as the minimum control line — and know the running total you should be at.

Control line · 255 cars / h
Shift target · 2,550 cars
255
255
510
255
765
255
1,020
255
1,275
255
1,530
255
1,785
255
2,040
255
2,295
255
2,550
255
12345678910
Shift operating hour Figures above bars are the cumulative count due by the end of that hour.
Escalation trigger

if any hour falls below 255, recover within the next hour through lane balancing, relief drivers or bottleneck removal.

14

Yard storage capacity estimate

Capacity depends on the gross area allowance per parked SUV — and on which site boundary you measure.

Planning basis · drag the allowance

30 m² / SUV
2025 tight30 base35 cons.40
4,288 SUVs

128,652.65 ÷ 30

Gross planning allowance including parking footprint, one-door access aisle, circulation and operational losses.

Sensitivity range

Layout m² KMLDeck
Tight layout 25 5,146 5,843
Recommended base 30 4,288 4,869
Conservative 35 3,675 4,173
m²/SUV to fit 5,000 25.7 29.2
Yard is a buffer, not a warehouse

At 30 m²/SUV this yard holds 4,288 units against a 5,000-vehicle discharge, so 712 units must clear the delivery gate during the 20-hour window (steps 8–9) for the plan to close. A full static hold would need 25.7 m²/SUV.

Final capacity must be confirmed against the actual yard drawing, fire lanes, buildings, drainage, light poles, blocked areas and traffic geometry.

15

Operating governance and stop-work controls

Protect the vehicle, the person and the record at every handoff.

Before start

1
  • Joint toolbox talk completed
  • Radios and channels tested
  • Routes, zones and emergency lanes open

During discharge

2
  • Ramp and deck under marshal control
  • Hourly KPI and queue levels monitored
  • Damage, VIN and non-runner exceptions segregated

Before delivery

3
  • Customs release status verified
  • VIN, location and condition records complete
  • Authorized receiver and gate handover captured
Stop work — any one of these
Hold the lane, confirm clear, then resume only on the supervisor's release.
unclear signalpedestrian in vehicle laneunsecured vehicleblocked rampunrecorded VIN mismatchunsafe speedloss of communications
16

Sources and provenance

What this deck is built from, and how to use it.

References

Imagery

The source PowerPoint’s imagery is recorded in its speaker notes as generated with Microsoft Copilot. Additional AI stills were created for pre-arrival planning, yard marshalling and cargo delivery.

Selected images are animated with Google Gemini; the remaining process panels use stills. All process imagery is illustrative, not a photographic record of this berth.

Live satellite imagery is supplied by Google Maps, rendered with Mapbox. Provider attribution appears on the map. Offline basemap © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics. The 3D circulation plan is conceptual.

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Source deck · RoRo_Operation_Discharge_Plan 1.pptx · 4 Sep 2026
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