Kalmar, part of Cargotec, and DP World London Gateway successful introduced the eco-efficient Kalmar FastCharge(TM) shuttle carrier, as part of a joint pilot project that will run for six to twelve months.
Kalmar has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with DP World, a leading global operator of marine and inland terminals.
As a semi-automated facility, DP World London Gateway is one of the most advanced deep-sea terminals in the world and is located close to the UK's biggest consumption centre.
The terminal is committed to minimising its environmental impact through its sustainability programme and Planet Mark certification, and view electrically powered equipment as a key part to improve eco-efficiency by reducing emissions and noise.
The Kalmar solutions at the heart of London Gateway's operations include automated stacking cranes (ASCs), an automated truck handling system as well as shuttle carriers and reachstackers.
All the equipment operating at the terminal have been integrated with the Navis N4 terminal operating system, which also manages the transfer of containers to and from the adjacent logistics park and runs automated processes at its gate, the container yard and the rail terminal.
The project involved the conversion of one of the terminal's existing Kalmar hybrid shuttle carriers into an electrically powered FastCharge shuttle carrier.
The modification work itself was completed in just a few weeks. Kalmar FastCharge is based on the same opportunity-charging technology used in electric buses, with charging taking place during the idle time in the shuttle carrier's working cycle.
Onboard charging is supplemented by regenerative systems that store energy generated by braking and spreader-lowering operations.
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Ahsan Agha, Head of Engineering, DP World London Gateway said: "Operating sustainably and minimising its impact on the environment is extremely important to DP World globally and to us here at London Gateway.
“This is why electrification, as a concept, and the Kalmar FastCharge shuttle solution in particular, makes sense for us.
“We're excited to partner with Kalmar on this innovative project. It has the potential to significantly reduce the port's carbon footprint, which we're already working hard to achieve through our sustainability program.”
The charging system consists of a charging station connected to the local power grid, a charging pole and a charging contact.
The shuttle carrier's lithium-ion batteries are charged via the charging contact located on the machine pillar.
The DC fast-charging sequence is fully automated and typically lasts 30-180 seconds; the driver simply engages the parking brake to begin the sequence.
The charging system at DP World London Gateway is located next to the natural working route of the shuttle, in a maintenance aisle between two ASC blocks
Mikko Mononen, Vice President, Intelligent Horizontal Transportation, Kalmar said: "We are delighted to be able to further strengthen our valuable partnership with DP World London Gateway with the successful launch of this pilot project.
“The FastCharge shuttle solution demonstrates that it is possible to improve the eco-efficiency of terminal operations without compromising on performance, and reflects our shared commitment to realising a sustainable future for the terminal industry."