PORT OF FELIXSTOWE BECOMES FIRST IN EUROPE TO LAUNCH AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS INTO OPS

Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe has introduced autonomous

operations.

The port is believed to be the first in Europe to introduce such

equipment.

Manufacturer Westwell has supplied the first two battery-powered trucks to

enter service at the UK’s largest container port – which is just exiting months

of labour action after dockworkers struck a pay deal with Hutchison Ports.

“These new autonomous trucks represent a significant technological step

forward for the Port of Felixstowe,” said Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive

Officer at the Port of Felixstowe.

“The tools underpinning port operations have evolved continuously, and we

already have a range of very advanced systems and equipment in place, but this

is the first time we will have wholly driverless vehicles.”

The ATs units have built-in safety features which are slated to ensure

effective and safe operations at container terminals at the Port of

Felixstowe.

The trucks use a digital map loaded to a fleet management system that

controls the navigation around the port. The AT then combines that map with its

on-board GPS navigation to track its real-time position.

“The ATs use LiDAR – a light sensing technology that creates a 3D map of an

AT’s surroundings using a laser and receiver, which, when combined with its

on-board 360-degree cameras, provide real-time, all-round ‘vision’,” said

Project Director, and Hutchison Ports UK Chief Information Officer, Karen

Poulter.

“This enables it to ‘see’ everything instantaneously in its vicinity to

allow safe and accurate navigation.

“With the support of Extreme Precise Position (EPP) system, it can achieve

positioning accuracy of 2 centimetres and a steering angle accuracy of 0.5

degrees.”

The trucks will be initially used to transport containers between Trinity

and North Rail terminals at the port.