Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe has confirmed an order for a third batch of autonomous trucks from Shanghai Westwell Technology Co. Ltd. (“Westwell”), increasing its autonomous truck fleet to 100 vehicles and further strengthening its position as a European leader in the deployment of autonomous vehicle technology at scale.
The latest order builds on the successful introduction of autonomous trucks into mixed-traffic container terminal operations at Felixstowe, the first deployment of its kind in Europe.
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Commenting on the order, Clemence Cheng, Executive Director of Hutchison Ports and Port of Felixstowe CEO, said:
“This further investment marks another important step in the Port of Felixstowe’s journey towards smarter, safer and more sustainable port operations.
“Expanding our autonomous truck fleet to 100 vehicles demonstrates our confidence in the technology and in the benefits it is already bringing to our customers, colleagues and operations. Felixstowe has led the way in deploying autonomous trucks safely at scale in a live port environment, and this latest order reinforces our commitment to innovation, operational resilience and our target of achieving Net-Zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035.”
Kenny Tan, Founder and Chairman of Westwell, said:
“We are proud to support Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe as it continues to deploy autonomous truck technology at scale. This latest order marks another important milestone in our partnership and reflects the confidence Felixstowe has placed in Westwell’s technology, products and operational support.
“With 100 autonomous trucks in operation, the Port of Felixstowe is Europe’s leading port for the deployment of autonomous vehicles at scale in live terminal operations. We look forward to continuing our work together to support safer, smarter and more sustainable port operations.”
The new trucks will incorporate enhanced sensor and perception technology, including 128-line LiDAR and advanced camera systems, providing a more detailed understanding of the operating environment and supporting safe, accurate and reliable operation in a busy mixed-traffic terminal environment. Similar technology was referenced in the previous autonomous truck order release as part of the port’s next phase of operational development.
The investment also includes a second automated battery swapping station. The port’s existing station enables autonomous trucks to exchange depleted batteries for fully charged units in just five to six minutes, helping to maximise fleet availability and minimise operational disruption.
Supporting this capability is the port’s private 5G network, one of the largest industrial private 5G deployments in the UK. The network provides fast, secure and highly reliable communications, enabling real-time connectivity between autonomous trucks, control systems and terminal infrastructure, ensuring safe, efficient and responsive operations across both autonomous and conventional equipment.
The autonomous trucks are fully electric. The port has used only electricity certified as being from renewable sources since April 2023, and the expanded fleet will support the port’s target of achieving Net-Zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035.