WO2014009778A1

WO2014009778A1 - Method and system to handle a container in a storage area

Info

Publication number: WO2014009778A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/053602
Authority: WO
Inventors: Massimo ARNESE; Luca PAPAGNI
Original assignee: Crosstec S.R.L.
Priority date: 2012-07-13
Filing date: 2012-07-13
Publication date: 2014-01-16

Abstract

The present invention refers to a method to handle containers in a storing area, in which handling means move containers from a pickup area to a delivery area and in which an IT system memorizes the position of containers. The method can track the position of a container handling means when it releases a container. The position in which the container is stored is then linked to the position of the handling means which is acquired when the container is released, and is memorized in an IT system to allow the tracking of the container. A system to implement such method is described as well.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM TO HANDLE A CONTAINER

IN A STORAGE AREA

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to a system and method to handle containers in storage areas, especially inside dry ports.

More specifically, the invention refers to a method to handle containers as in the preamble of claim 1 and to a system capable of implementing such method.

STATE OF THE ART

It is well-known that dry ports are transit points for goods that, transported by means of transportation such as trucks or ships, are then stored before being transferred on different means of transport, for example a train.

Goods are transported in containers, swap bodies, tanks or other load units, which are stored in wide yards or warehouses.

Big dry ports can simultaneously store thousands of containers that need to be handled at different times and towards different areas of the dry port. In order to allow the logistic handling of containers there are well-known handling systems that use RFID tags (Radio Frequency Identification) which are stuck on containers when they enter the dry port.

When a container arrives at a dry port, an operator assigns a storage location and sticks a RFID tag on it for its identification. Then a crane (or a reach stacker) picks it up and transports it to the assigned location.

The limitation of these systems is that the operator of the stacker could leave the container in a different location from the one assigned. The presence of the RFID code allows to track down the container but the width of dry ports and the high number of containers which are stored there, can make the search take a long time. Another disadvantage of these systems is that there is no internationally recognized standard system for the handling of containers, so every dry port or cargo ship uses its own encoding system that is not recognized by other dry ports or ships. This causes a waste of RFID tags and the risk that they could interfere if they are not removed once the containers have left the dry port or the ship where they were used to track down containers.

Another problem of these systems is that they do not allow control over the functioning of reach stackers and, in general, on other means used to handle containers.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the known art.

Purpose of the present invention is especially the improvement of the efficiency of current systems for the handling of containers.

Another purpose of the present invention is to guarantee control over the functioning of the means, especially over every single operator (observance of safety rules, maximum speed, utilization of reach stackers and other means, non- scheduled stops).

The above mentioned and other purposes of the present invention have been achieved by a system and a container handling method which comprise the features of the hereby attached claims, which form integrant part of the present invention.

The idea that underlies the present invention is to detect the position of a container handling means when it releases a container. The position in which the container is stored is thus associated with the position of the handling means obtained at the moment the container is released and memorized by an IT system in order to track down the container.

This solution allows to track down the location of a container without using RFID tags or similar devices on containers. This solution provides also a better efficiency in the handling of containers because, even if the operator makes a mistake in positioning the container in a storing area which is different from the scheduled one, the container could be easily tracked down without wasting time.

Profitably this handling method also allows the acquisition of the pickup location when stackers (or other handling means) grab a container. Afterwards the pickup position is compared with the information arriving from an area where there is a container that needs to be picked up. If the pickup location does not match with the information about the pickup location, then an alarm goes off. Particularly, in one embodiment, the information about the pickup location corresponds to a geographical area, so the alarm goes off when the pickup position is not within such geographical area.

This allows to reduce, or even to avoid, mistakes in the handling of containers.

In a profitable embodiment of the invention, the position of the handling means is acquired by means of a GPS receiver which is located on the grabbing organ of the handling means, preferably on the edge of the grabbing organ which comes into contact with the container. Preferably, the receiver is located on a point that lies on a vertical line crossing the container's volume, especially a line passing through the container's barycentre or through the geometrical barycentre of a horizontal section of the container.

These kinds of wariness allow to detect the position of the container in a precise way regardless of the handling means' structure or of its grabbing organs.

The invention refers as well to a container handling system including a central computer with the purpose of memorizing the location of several containers and at least one container handling means with at least one grabbing organ to grab a container and one grab sensor that can detect the grabbing and the lifting of a container. The handling means includes a positioning system to track down its location. The positioning system is operatively connected to the central system and to the grab sensor so that it can track down the position of the handling means at the moment in which the grabbing organ grabs or releases a container and thus transmit the detected position to the central system.

Further purposes and advantages of the present invention will appear clearer in the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described as follows with reference to non-exhaustive examples provided as explanations of the attached figure. These figures show different aspects and embodiments of the present invention and, where appropriate, reference numbers illustrating structures, units, materials and/ or similar elements in different figures, are pointed by similar reference numbers. Figure n° 1 shows a container handling system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure n° 2 shows a flow chart of a container handling method by means of the system depicted in figure n° 1.

Figure n° 3 shows a first graphic interface for the handling of containers.

Figure n°4 shows a second graphic interface for the handling of containers.

Figure n° 5 shows a block diagram of a terminal on board of a handling means. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Whereas the invention is susceptible to various changes and alternative settings, some relative illustrated embodiments are shown in the figures and will be thoroughly described later on. However the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, it is on the contrary susceptible to cover all modifications, alternative and equivalent settings, which are included in the field of the invention itself, as it is stated in the claims.

The use of expressions like "for example", "etc.", "or" suggests the possibility of alternatives but it does not limit the available options, unless otherwise stated. The use of "including" means "including but not limiting to", unless otherwise stated. Figure n° 1 schematically shows a container handling system (1) comprising a computerized central system (2) with the purpose of memorizing the position of several containers (3) in a terminal (4) that, in the following example, is supposed to be divided into 4 storing areas AO, Al, A2, A3. More in general, to the purpose of the present description, a storing area refers to any area, even if it is not of the terminal, in which a container must be stored. For example a train wagon that has to be loaded or unloaded is to be considered as a storing area.

One or more handling means (5), driven by an operator on board, move containers according to the tasks ordered by the central system (2). For example they pick them up from a train on arrival and they deliver them to special storing areas. In the preferred embodiment, it is planned to implement remote working stations (6) for the storing, in the central system, of data referring to the arriving containers. These remote working stations (6) include a remote computer (600) that is in communication with the central system (2) by means of a data network, for example a LAN (Local Area Network), and therefore allow the operator who receives the containers to enter data in the central system without changing working station.

In proceeding with the description, one could suppose that the system is used inside a dry port and in order to handle containers. This usage is clearly limiting and other applications are possible, for example the handling of containers, swap bodies, products and other load units (especially load units that cannot move autonomously) inside a warehouse or any storing area in general.

The central system (2) includes a computer (200), a monitor (201) and a keyboard (202) that allows the central operator to interact with the computer (200) and enter data in the system. Alternatively the monitor can be a touch screen monitor and allows the central operator to interact with the computer without a keyboard. The computer (200) is provided with a mass storage, for example a Hard Disk, in which a software for the handling of containers is installed. A computer's processor (200) executes the software's lines of code in order to carry out the steps of the container handling system described as follows, also with reference to figure n° 2.

When starting, the software shows an interface on the monitor (201), that looks like the one schematized in figure n° 3, where every line contains information about a container. For example:

• Container's ID

• Position, identified by absolute geographical coordinates

• Mode of arrival (for example: by rail, by sea, by road)

• Kind of load unit (for example: "C" for container, "M" for mahogany container, etc.) • Storing area (for example: Al, A2, etc.)

• Scheduled date of departure

• Mode of departure

When a container arrives (2000), the operator at the entrance (601) takes delivery of it and register its details in the system (2001), entering the kind of object, the date of arrival, scheduled date and mode of departure from the dry port (for example by ship or by rail).

In the preferred embodiment, the handling software automatically suggests the storing area (2002) in which the container must be placed. The area is suggested on the basis of logistic needs, therefore taking into consideration available areas, dates and mode of departure of the container from the dry port.

In one embodiment, the arrival of a container can be booked, so when the container arrives, the operator at the entrance (601) can upload the data about the container directly from the containers booking list.

Once the container's data have been entered in the software, the computer (200) automatically transmits (2003) to all the container handling means a list of the tasks which need to be carried out.

As an alternative to transmitting the tasks to all handling means, the central computer - according to the queue of tasks which have already been assigned to the handling means - determines one means to which it assigns the task of handling the container registered on arrival and transmits such task to the chosen means.

Once the task has been assigned, the computer (200) waits for (step 2004) the task to be taken on by one of the handling means (step 2004) according to procedures that will be better described later on.

When a handling means takes on a task it informs the central system (2), and the central computer (200) proceeds (step 2005) to update the task queues by crossing out the task from those that still need to be carried out.

Then the central computer (200) waits for (step 2006) the handling means to transmit the position of the container and when it receives it, it waits for (step 2007) another position to be transmitted that corresponds to the storing position of the container at the end of all handling operations. This last step can be carried out in different ways, as explained later on with reference to the functioning of the computers on board of the handling means.

After the storing position has been received, the central system (200) updates (step

2008) a special database containing the information about the container. At this point the handling process is finished (step 2009).

Even if the method has been described with reference to the handling operations of one container, it is obvious that the computer (200) can handle several containers, carrying out more than one task simultaneously, so that while the computer (200) is waiting for a handling means to take on a task, it can record the arrival of a new container at the entrance of the dry port.

Going back to the container handling system, in figure n° 1 the handling means (5) are represented as a reach stacker and are driven by an operator on board.

Figure n° 5 shows a block diagram of a handling means (5). For plainness and clarity purposes such block diagram only includes the elements that are necessary to the understanding of the correct functioning of the container handling system. Other components can be present in the handling means even if they are not illustrated.

The handling means include a terminal on board (500) that communicates by means of a network interface (501) (for example a Wi-Fi modem) with the central system (2). The terminal on board is capable of receiving information from the central system, for example the task that needs to be carried out, and to transmit information to the central system, such as the position of the container or the state of the means.

A control unit (502) of the terminal on board processes the information received and the information to be transmitted to the central system so that other components and circuits of the handling means can be examined.

A storage (503) stores the program data of an application for the handling of containers and other data, such as distinctive data of the handling means, which are necessary to handle the containers.

A monitor (504), operatively connected to the control unit, allows the visualization of a graphic interface through which the operator on board can confirm the proper execution of a task or warn the central system of possible anomalies and behavioral variations occurred during the execution of a task.

In on eembodiment the terminal on board allows the operator to:

• Control the proper functioning of the means (engine, boom, piggy back)

• Visualize in real time the tasks to be carried out (entries, exits, trains)

• Take on a task to be carried out

· Continuously visualize the position and speed of the means

The handling means (5) also includes a GPS receiver (505), which can receive GNSS signals from several satellites and determine its current position. The receiver (505) is preferably positioned next to a grabbing unit of the handling means, for example a piggy back or rather next to the part of the piggy back which comes into contact with the container. This solution allows to know the position of the handling means even if the receiver is on the means itself. As an alternative to the positioning on the grabbing unit, the receiver can be positioned elsewhere on the handling means, but preferably on a point that lies on a vertical line crossing the container's volume, and especially a line passing through the container's barycentre or through the geometrical barycentre of a horizontal section of the container.

Communication between the control unit (502) and the GPS receiver (505) is rather bidirectional and takes place by means of a communication line, for example a serial or parallel line, that preferably also transports the electric supply for the receiver (505).

The terminal on board (500) is connected to the control unit (506) of the handling means. This control unit controls the functioning of the electrical and mechanical organs which are necessary in order to control the handling means (engine, lamps, booms, gripping jaws, etc. which are not shown in figure n° 5 for the sake of simplicity). By means of the control unit (506), the terminal on board receives information about the state of the grab sensors (507) assembled on the grab extremities (for example hooks, grabs or booms) of the handling means. In one embodiment these sensors send a signal to the control unit once the container is hooked or has been lifted up, so that the terminal on board knows whether a container has been hooked or lifted up. As an alternative to being connected to the control unit (506) there can be exclusive direct connections between the terminal on board (500) and the grab sensors.

Operating on the terminal on board is allowed only to board operators that have previously been trained and qualified by a central function. Every qualified operator has his own credentials (Username and Password) to access the system. In the preferred embodiment, when the engine of the handling means is switched off, the system disconnects the operator on board and the terminal on boards switches off.

In the preferred embodiment, the main interface of the terminal on board is structured into a plurality of sections.

Inside a first section, named CONTROL BAR, there are the switches of the operative controls, search criteria and manual controls of the grab sensors.

Inside this section of the interface there are also the criteria and controls of visualization filters of the tasks in the section named BODY (for example search by train, visualization of all tasks or only some).

In the BODY section, shown in figure n° 4, the list of tasks is visualized together with the corresponding situation, highlighted also by means of icons representing different states of the task, as shown in figure n° 4 in the column "booking".

Other information that are visualized are:

• Booking (this symbol indicates the state of a single task)

• Scheduled date and time for starting the task

• Code of the load unit object of the task (ITU - Intermodal Transport Unit)

• Pick up area

· Delivery area • State of the task (to be carried out, in progress, finished)

• ID code of the task (assigned by the system)

• Kind of task

Every task is then described by a task ID code and a brief overview of the kind of task, for example "Handling GET IN" indicates a load unit that must be picked up by a REACH STACKER and is entering the dry port, "Handling GET OUT" indicates a load unit that must be picked up by a REACH STACKER in order to be unloaded exiting the dry port, "Load Wagon" indicates a load unit that must be loaded on a wagon. The task description becomes especially useful when tasks are broadcast by the central system to all the handling means (5). Thanks to the description, an operator can therefore understand if his handling means can execute the task and decide whether to accept it or not.

For every task the area for pickup and delivery is signaled as well as the state of execution of the task (for example: to be carried out, in progress, finished). As stated before, the pickup and delivery areas can be physical areas inside the dry port (for example area A0-A4 in figure n° 1) or train wagons that must be loaded or unloaded.

To allow the operator on board to identify the container that needs to be handled, every task also carries the code UTI that is written on the container.

When the task is accepted, the operator books it and puts it in a "booking" state. A visual indicator is thus highlighted in the task area and the field called "STATE" is changed into "in progress". The information that the container is being handled is transmitted from the terminal on board to the central system that updates the queues of tasks visualized on the terminals on boards of the other handling means. In the preferred embodiment, the terminal on board is connected to the grab sensors oh the handling means, so when the operator on board grabs a container, the terminal on board sends an activating signal to a GPS receiver located on the handling means (5).

The activating signal triggers the reply of the GPS receiver that replies to the terminal on board with information about the position and/ or the current speed. The terminal then starts recording the position and/ or the speed of the handling means and shows these data to the operator.

In one embodiment, the data about the position and/ or speed are recorded from the moment in which the container is picked up to the moment in which the container is left in the delivery area. Data are rather transmitted by the terminal on board to the central system (2) and recorded by the central system.

When the grab sensors detect that the container has been left, the terminal on board stops the recording of the current position so that the last position recorded also corresponds to the position in which the container has been stored.

As an alternative to the activation of the GPS receiver as a reply to the activating signal sent by the terminal on board, in one embodiment the GPS receiver continuously transmits position/ speed data to the terminal on board which starts recording only when it receives a signal from the grab sensors that the container has been picked up. The terminal on board stops the recording of the position and/ or speed of the means when it receives a signal from the grab sensors that the container has been released.

In another embodiment, preferred, the GPS receiver transmits continuously the position and the terminal on board continuously records these data for safety reasons. As the grab sensors activate, when the container is picked up or released, the terminal on board records the current position transmitted by the GPS receiver, and links this position to the pickup position or storing position according to whether the container has been picked up or released.

The storing position of the container is transmitted by the terminal on board to the central system (2) that records it and makes it available for the operator by means of the interface that has been described before with reference to drawing n° 3.

When a container must leave the dry port the central system transmits the task to the handling means, whose terminals on boards will show a screen, like that of figure n° 4, on which the container position expressed in absolute coordinates is reported.

According to what mentioned above, it is clear that the monitoring system and method of this invention hit the mark.

Even though the invention has been described with reference to a special container handling system and method, it is clear that several versions can be applied to the systems and methods described above maintaining the idea of tracking the position of a container when the grab sensors of a handling means, such as a reach stacker or a overhead crane, activate.

For example, in one embodiment that allows to improve the handling of containers, the terminal on board (500) compares the information about position received from the GPS receiver with the information about the pickup and delivery area of the container received from the system. The terminal on board can therefore generate alarm signals if the operator picks up or delivers a container in an area which does not correspond to the one of the task. Moreover, thanks to this comparison, the terminal on board can show the position of the handling means to the operator with respect to the delivery area, so that the operator can identify the delivery area faster instead of looking for directions inside the dry port. In the preferred embodiment useful for big dry ports, the central system determines the routes that the handling means have to follow inside the dry port and transmits this information to the handling means so that the terminal on board (504) shows the way to follow. This solution optimizes displacement times inside the dry port. In one variant embodiment, instead of transmitting its position to the central system during the entire handling process, the terminal on board transmits to the central system only 2 positions for each task: one position when picking up the container, one position when the container is released. This solution reduces the data traffic and the employment of the central computer (200).

Clearly the position for the storing and pick up can overlap with those detected by the GPS receiver or can be calculated taking these as reference, for example because it has not been possible positioning the receiver on the vertical line of the container.

In another variant embodiment, the GPS receiver can be replaced with another positioning system that can determine its position inside the dry port, for example (in a not preferred but working embodiment) several cells of a wireless network could be allotted inside the dry port and the receiver could calculate its position by measuring how powerful the received signals are and triangulating the measurements .

In a further embodiment, in addition to the functions described above, the terminal on board is configured to implement the functions of a remote station (6). The operator on board of a handling means (5) can therefore generate tasks, for example by accessing an interface such as the one in figure n° 3, and select tasks by accessing another interface, for example the one in figure n° 4. In one embodiment such possibility of generating tasks is limited to train load/ unload operations, but it is obviously possible to limit the function of generating tasks to other activities.

In the preferred embodiment, tasks generated by a handling means are automatically taken on by the handling means that has generated them. This solution offers the advantage of leaving higher autonomy to the operator, even if it can have some limits in logistics operation since the operator could position the container in a non favorable storing area. Profitably, in one embodiment, when the terminal on board generates its own tasks, the central system (2) intervenes anyway and, for example, assigns the delivery area for the container or limits the choice of the area, so that the operator can choose within a limited range of available delivery areas, that can be areas of the terminal or train wagons.

Further on, it is worth to underline that even if the invention has been described referring to some precise block diagrams, it is clear that such blocks have purely descriptive reasons of the functions of the system and therefore the system can be realized by unifying, integrating or separating the blocks described above.

Likewise, different devices can be unified and integrated in a different way.

Having read the description above, it is clear that in one embodiment, the invention refers to a container handling method - in which a handling means moves containers from a pickup area to a delivery area and a computerized system stores the information about the position of the container - characterized by and including the following steps

Detect that a handling means has released a container

In reply to the release of the container, acquire (2007) the position in which the handling means has released the container

- Link the container storing position to the position in which the handling means has released the container

Store (2008) in the computerized system the storing position of the container.

According to a favorable implementation, as stated in the claim, the method includes further steps

Acquire the pickup position of the handling means when the container is hooked

Compare the pickup position with the information about the pickup area of a container that needs to be moved

- Generate an alarm signal if the pickup position does not correspond to the information about the pickup area.

In one embodiment of the method, the information about the pickup area corresponds to a geographic area and the alarm signal is generated if the pickup position is not within in such geographic area.

According to one aspect of the method, the position of the handling means is acquired by means of a positioning system, especially a GPS receiver, located on a point of the handling means that lies on a vertical line crossing the container's volume and especially a line passing through the container's barycentre or through the geometrical barycentre of a horizontal section of the container.

In one embodiment of the method, the position of the handling means is acquired by means of a positioning system located on a grabbing organ of the handling means, preferably on the edge of the grabbing organ that comes into contact with the container.

According to another aspect of the container handling method, in which at least another handling means is present, the IT system assigns tasks for the handling of containers to the handling means receives information about the tasks which are being handled by the handling means

receives the position of all handling means

- determines a preferred route that the handling means must follow to go from the pickup area to the storing area.

In one embodiment, the IT system includes a central system and the handling means moves the container from the pickup area to the delivery area according to a task generated by the central system and transmitted to the handling means. In another embodiment, the IT system includes a central system and the handling means moves the container from the pickup area to the delivery area according to a task generated by a terminal on board of the handling means. The handling means transmits the data concerning the generated task from the terminal on board to the central system. According to this embodiment, the central system preferably controls the choice of the delivery area, which has been made at the moment in which the task is generated, and it especially limits the choice of the delivery area for the operator on board who operates on the terminal on board. According to one embodiment, it is foreseen a container handling system that includes a central system apt to storing the position of several containers and at least one container handling means comprising at least one grabbing organ to grab a container and a grab sensor able to detect that a container has been picked up or released. The handling means includes a positioning system to track the position of the handling means; the positioning system is operatively connected to the central system and to the grab sensor so that it can track the position of the handling means at the moment in which the grabbing organ releases a container and transmits the registered position to the above mentioned central system.

In one embodiment, the positioning system, especially a GPS receiver, is located on a point of the handling means that lies on a vertical line crossing the container's volume and especially a line passing through the barycentre of a container hooked by a handling means, or through the geometrical barycentre of a horizontal section of the container hooked by a handling means.

In another embodiment the positioning system is able to track the position of the handling means at the moment in which the grabbing organ picks up a container and to transmit the detected position to the above mentioned central system.

Moreover the invention refers to a computer software that includes portions of a code that, when executed by a computer, allow to implement a method according any implementations described above and claimed as follows.

Claims

1. Method of containers handling, wherein a handling means (5) moves containers (3) from a pickup area (AO) to a delivery area (Al) and an IT system (2) memorizes one position of the container (3), the method being characterized by and including the following steps

Detect that a handling means has released a container

Store (2008) in the computerized system the storing position of the container.

2. The method of claim 1 and including these further steps

- Acquire the pickup position of the handling means when the container is hooked

Generate an alarm signal if the pickup position does not correspond to the information about the pickup area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information about the pickup area corresponds to a geographic area and the alarm signal is generated if the

pickup position is not in such geographic area.

4. The method of any claims 1-3, wherein the position of the handling means is acquired by means of a positioning system, especially a GPS receiver, located on a point of the handling means that lies on a vertical line crossing the container's volume and especially a line passing through the container's barycentre or through the geometrical barycentre of a horizontal section of the container.

5. The method of any claims 1-4, wherein the position of the handling mean (5) is acquired by means of positioning system (505) located on the grabbing organ of handling means, more preferably on the edge of the grabbing organ that comes into contact with the container (3).

6. The method of claims 4 or 5, wherein it includes at least a second handling means and wherein the IT system

assigns tasks for the moving of containers to the handling means

- receives information about the tasks which are being handled by the handling means

receives the position of all handling means

determines a preferred route that the handling means must follow to go from the pickup area to the storing area.

7. The method of any claims 1-6, wherein the IT system includes a central system (2), and wherein the handling means moves the container from the pickup area to the delivery area according to a task generated by the central system (2) and transmitted to the handling means.

8. The method of any claims 1-7, wherein the IT system includes a central system (2), wherein the handling means (5) moves the container (3) from the pickup area to the delivery area according to a task generated by a terminal on board (500) of the handling means (5), and wherein the handling means (5) transmits data concerning the task generated by the terminal on board (500) to the central system (2).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the central system (2) controls the choice of the delivery area that is made at the moment of generating the task, and especially limits the choice of the delivery area to the operator on board that operates the terminal on board (500).

10. Container handling system, including a central system (2) able to memorizing the position (AO- A3) of several containers (3) and at least one container handling means (5) including at least one grabbing organ to grab a container (3) and a grab sensor (507) able to detect when a container has been picked up or released (3), being the system characterized by the fact that the handling means (5) includes a positioning system (501, 505) to track the position of the handling means (5), being the positioning system (501, 505) operatively connected to the central system (2) and to the grab sensor (507), so that it can detect the position of the handling means at the moment in which the grabbing organ releases a container (3) and transmits the detected position to the above mentioned central system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the positioning system, especially a GPS receiver, is located on a point of the handling means that lies on a vertical line crossing the container's volume, especially a line passing through the container's barycentre hooked by a handling means or through the geometrical barycentre of a horizontal section of the container hooked by a handling means.

12. The system of claim 10-11, wherein the positioning system (501,505) is able to track the position of the handling means (5) at the moment in which the grabbing organ picks up a container and to transmit the detected position to the above mentioned central system (2).

13. Computer software including portions of a code which, when executed by a computer, allow to implement a method according to any of claims 1-9.