Port doubles autonomous truck fleet
Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe has confirmed an order for a further 34 Autonomous Trucks (ATs) from Shanghai Westwell Technology Co. Ltd (Westwell), doubling its fleet.
THE FIRST 34 ATs, deployed early this year at the port’s Trinity Terminal alongside conventionally driven trucks, is said to represent Europe’s first successful use of ATs in mixed traffic mode operation.
Clemence Cheng, executive director of Hutchison Ports and Port of Felixstowe CEO, said: “We are proud to be leading the way in autonomous operations in ports. Doubling our fleet of ATs will deliver even greater efficiency and resilience to our operation. These new units will feature enhanced sensor technology, enabling even greater operational performance for our customers.
“The continued scaling up of this project has been made possible by the recent introduction of a private 5G network at the Port of Felixstowe. As well as improving operational consistency and efficiency, the increased use of battery-powered ATs will significantly support our ambition to achieve Net-Zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035.”
A newly commissioned automated battery swap station allows ATs to exchange depleted power units for fully charged ones in just five to six minutes – without manual intervention. This ensures maximum fleet availability and minimal disruption to operations.
The port’s ATs are equipped with 128-line LiDAR, 360-degree camera vision, monocular and stereo cameras with radar, delivering world-class levels of safety and performance.
