DP World has welcomed the arrival of eight fully electric straddle carriers for its soon-to-be-opened £350 million ($432 million) new fourth berth at London Gateway.
The new machines will be part of the first all-electric fleet at any port in the world servicing the first-ever all-electric berth.
The £12 million ($14.8 million) straddle carriers weigh approximately 62 tonnes and will require only 45 minutes of charge to operate for up to four hours. Delivered by manufacturing company, Kalmar, the new straddle carriers are zero emission.
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Ahsan Agha, Vice President of Port Operations at DP World London Gateway, said: “The arrival of the electric straddle carriers is another milestone for the world’s first all-electric berth, following the delivery of the two largest quay cranes in Europe earlier this year.
“When operational, the berth will future-proof DP World’s UK operations by continuing to service the largest containerships in existence and acting as a springboard to extend our reach into the supply chain.
“At a time when the pressure to manage costs, maintain reliability and improve speed has never been greater, DP World’s growing array of technologically advanced assets and capabilities will help our UK and European customers to stay competitive for years to come.”
Last month, DP World announced a $50 million investment to build a new logistics hub at Busan New Port, China.