A gantry crane is a crane is set atop a gantry, used to straddle and lift an object typically a container or large earthen objects like stone or granite. Gantry Cranes range from large "full" gantries that able to lift some of the heaviest loads in the world, to smaller indoor granty cranes, used for tasks such as lifting automobile engines out of vehicles. Smaller models are also called portal cranes, the "portal" is the empty space straddled by the gantry.

Sometimes the term gantry crane is called an overhead crane (or bridge crane) are often used interchangeably, as both types of crane straddle the load to be lifted.  The distinction being is gantry cranes, the entire crane including the gantry is wheeled or mounted on rubber tired or rails.  Where an overhead crane is fixed in location, often mounted to walls or ceiling and is usually found in a building, and moves along a rail or beam.  Gantry cranes also may have a movable beam-mounted hoist in addition to the entire structure being wheeled. 

Rubber tired gantry cranes are essential for moving containers in ports or intermodal exchanges throughout the rest of the yard.  They are used to straddle multiple lanes of rail, road, or container storage. They also are capable of lifting fully loaded containers to great heights. Smaller rubber-tired gantry cranes come as know as straddle carriers are used for moving individual containers or vertical stacks of containers.

Rubber tire gantry cranes are in high demand in terminals and ports and due to their restricted sizes, they maximize vertical space as gantry cranes are not needed to haul containers long distances. Gantry Cranes are slow in speed, yet with a high reach they are a great option versus other types of container handling terminal equipment.