UST035

78 T he rise of autonomous logistics has fostered the development of a wide range of UGVs and UAVs for delivering small, lightweight packages over ‘last mile’ distances. Automating large-scale bulk cargo logistics is comparatively rare though, with autonomous container ships and freight trucks generally being limited to a few projects that are still at the r&d stage. However, Kalmar, a Finnish producer of port cargo handling solutions, has integrated a number of external and in- house technologies into a commercially available system for autonomous cargo terminal operations. At these terminals, thousands of containers each day are lifted from and onto vessels and trucks using what are called straddle carriers. These vehicles – often around 10 m long, 5 m wide and 12-15 m tall – pick up the containers (which can weigh up to 60 t) by their top lifting points and lower them onto trucks or other containers. Although Kalmar first started integrating automation into the carriers and their surrounding infrastructure about 20 years ago, the repetitive and hazardous nature of this work have motivated the company to keep investing r&d into achieving fully autonomous operations. The resulting automated straddle carriers – AutoStrads – and the technologies enabling their use has resulted in dramatic reductions in labour and maintenance costs. Naturally, automation also removes essentially all the human error from terminal work. At a basic level, that means noticeably smoother operations. More important though, the collisions, unplanned repairs and losses of freight attributable to human drivers are eliminated. And as yard lighting is not needed for the AutoStrads to be able to navigate, the system also brings energy-saving and consequently environmental benefits. For example, the Patrick Fisherman Island terminal in Brisbane, Australia, saved an estimated AU$50 million a year, including more than AU$500,000 in maintenance costs per carrier (over its lifetime), and cut workers’ compensation costs owing to injuries by over 90% in the year following their installation. This automated straddle carrier is making it safer and cheaper to handle shipping containers. Rory Jackson explains how the system works Manifestly better December/January 2021 | Unmanned Systems Technology