Autonomous yard trucks were recently deployed across multiple locations in the Port of Rotterdam.

Major Rotterdam depot and container terminal operator Kramer Group, autonomous yard truck technology provider, StreetDrone, and Europe's largest manufacturer of yard trucks, Terberg, have all partnered to deploy the autonomous yard trucks.

In the announcement, the firms said the project is set to span the next two years and will introduce six autonomous yard trucks to the port, commencing at the Kramer City Terminal later in 2023 and expanding to the Maasvlakte Container Exchange Route in 2024.

Using a combination of StreetDrone's autonomous driving and remote teleoperation solutions, the group expects the new technology to alleviate several hazards and challenges in the port.

It would also facilitate Kramer's workforce to move containers with heightened precision, efficiency, and safety.

With the strategic location of Rotterdam as Europe's largest port, this innovative project is also expected to enhance the port's reliability and competitiveness on the global stage.

The firms said Terberg will provide the vehicle platform for the autonomous solution, while StreetDrone will leverage its technology stack to enable safe and efficient teleoperation and self-driving capabilities.

First autonomous yar trucks at Port of Rotterdam

 Mike Potts, CEO of StreetDrone (right), with Andre Kramer of Kramer Group and Rob van Hove of Terberg Special Vehicles at the Port of Rotterdam.

Kramer will offer their invaluable experience operating some of the busiest container terminals in Europe. 

"Kramer is constantly looking for innovative ways to serve our customers better. Technologies that enable us to handle the 900,000 container movements we complete each year in a safer and more efficient way will help us strengthen our position as the handler of choice for customers moving containers through the Port of Rotterdam," said Andre Kramer, CEO of Kramer Group.

Mike Potts, CEO at StreetDrone, said StreetDrone is "thrilled to partner with Kramer and Terberg to bring the first autonomous yard trucks to the Port of Rotterdam."

"This project will demonstrate StreetDrone’s market-leading capability to deploy autonomous yard truck fleets across multiple locations for some of the most innovative companies in the global supply chain," he said.

Rob van Hove, CEO of Terberg Special Vehicles, for his part, said the project is demonstrative of the autonomous solutions it could provide.

"As a Netherlands-based company, we are excited to be the first to deploy autonomous yard trucks at our home port in Rotterdam," van Hove said.

With the first vehicles already planned for production, the deployment of this groundbreaking technology is soon to set a new standard for safety, efficiency, and competitiveness at the Port of Rotterdam.

The firms said the pilots will run at both locations until early 2025, after which the partners aim to scale operations rapidly, adding several additional autonomous yard trucks to the fleet.