VDL acquires order for 77 automated guided vehicles for Port of Rotterdam

VDL Automated Vehicles continues to strengthen its position as a leading company for the supply of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV’s) to container terminals. Between the end of this year and mid-2023, VDL Automated Vehicles will be supplying as many as 77 automated guided vehicles to Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam (ECT), one of the leading and most advanced container terminal operators in Europe. This order comes after the order of mid 2019, were PSA ordered 80 VDL AGV’s for its state of the art terminal TUAS in Singapore.

The new award of ECT is the third large order of AGV’s VDL will be supplying to ECT. The first contract was awarded in 2011. The first deliveries at the time consisted of a total of 85 AGVs. Each AGV has since transported more than 100,000 containers. The motivation for the new order derives from the positive experience with the earlier supplied vehicles and the mutual trust which has developed between the two parties over the years. The new order concerns the replacement of older, diesel-driven AGV’s.

Based on the information above it might look like it has been an easy decision for ECT to go ahead again with VDL but for sure the decision has been covered by data of their equipment monitoring system like reliability (Mean Time Between Failure), maintainablity and fuel consumption. The new vehicles will have 50% less fuel consumption in compare to the AGV’s to be replaced. Next to the battery diesel hybrid drive line, also smart vehicle control software is a key factor in the reduction of the fuel consumption.

Besides the results of these three parameters there is also added value by the included VDL own navigation system and modular design of the AGV’s. All together it has been judged through the eyes of Total Cost of Ownership over the total expected lifetime. This TCO is nowadays the leading parameter for all major container terminals while monitoring and selecting their equipment. Therefor as equipment supplier it must be top of the list during the design or improvement processes to keep ahead of competition and in line with users expectation and requirements.

Modular design and drive line
The VDL AGV’s has been designed according a modular concept and using building blocks to configure the complete AGV, so called configure to order. This is not only limited to the mechanical construction of the vehicle but also blocks are used in the electrical and software design however most advantage can be found and seen in the mechanical part of the vehicle. The AGV’s can be split in several modules like f.e. chassis, drive line and safety (f.e. mixed traffic application). While designing or improving these modules or building blocks hardware, functionality and maintainablity of the vehicle has been taken into account. So every decision is in connection with the performance of the vehicle and also Total Cost of Ownership.

One of the main benefits of the modular concept in the VDL AGV is the fact that new innovations in technology (from the automotive sector) can be easily exchanged and integrated without replacing the complete vehicle or taken it out of operation for siginifant time. Clear example of this possibility can be given via the drive line. For valid reasons ECT has selected a battery diesel hybrid drive line. Based on the modular design, over a couple of years it can be replaced by a fully electric drive line or a drive line using hydrogen as energy source. It depends on f.e. the developments around cost and availability of the energy carrier which type of drive line will have the most added value. For VDL AGV it will be “just” a block to replace.

The port industry needs to follow closely where mass production, global growth and development will be created. If the truck industry will chose for fuel cell technology, then it is likely that the heavy-duty port vehicles will also join this track. Because than it is possible to make use of the mass production and to develop the technology further. In case port industry deviates from it, it should have very good reasons for it In any case, knowledge and experience concerning full battery or fuel cell drive lines is nowadays already available within the VDL Group via sister company VDL Enabling Transport Systems. One of their focus lies at automotive drive lines for heavy duty transportation (busses and trucks) in combination with the ongoing energy transition. Via the VDL electrical busses (>800 units) which are are already a standard in several European cities and over 1.000.000 km experience in fuel cell drive line technology, detailed knowledge and experience has been gained so going over to latest technology of drive lines in AGV’s can be seen as already proven technology.

Overall, the VDL group has a strong focus at the automotive sector via their division Buss & Coach, production of the Mini and BMW at the NedCar plant in Born and the just mentioned VDL Enabling Transport Systems. This gives next to the modular concept another benefit to the VDL AGV’s. The container transporting vehicles, in contrast to other container handling vehicles, have been designed analogous to a regular road vehicle. This makes it possible to track developments in the automotive sector for the continued development of the AGVs and allows further development of a smaller AGV platform which will be released later this year.

Navigation System
One of the largest innovations that will be incorporated into the new AGVs, is the integration of VDL’s own state-of-the-art navigation system. This system, using a industry standard design platform is based on a comparable system that is also used by large car manufacturers. This navigation system contains a module (C-ACC) providing for more efficient container transhipment: because the AGVs can communicate with each other, via so called Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) protocoll, this makes it possible for them to drive closer together and this results in shorter waiting times between trips, which in turn means more containers per AGV can be transported. Normally there is only communication between the AGV and the terminal operation system via its fleet management system. This system gives job orders to the AGV and the vehicle will execute these. As there are many AGV’s driving around at a terminal, there has to be a safety system integrated in the vehicles to avoid collisions between the vehicles. Standard the AGV’s are equipped with a so called claim area which keeps the vehicles away from eachother at a certain distance, based on their actual speed, direction and position.

Using the V2V technology and communication the AGVs can communicate with each other and inform other AGV’s about their planned actions, so the vehicle can be closer and still having the same speed as initial, finally results in more containermovement per AGV’s per operation which is off course beneficial while defining the total required quantity of required AGV’s. Based on the first estimations a 5 – 10% reduction might be achieved which is a serious positive impact on the Total Cost of Ownership of the AGV’s.

VDL Automated Vehicles
VDL Automated Vehicles is a business unit within VDL’s biggest system integration activity named VDL Steelweld Group. VDL started it’s automated driving activities more then two decades ago. After several succesfull implemented project its was decided to create a dedicated AGV team focusing on solutions for automated transport applications in outdoor industrial environment. In 2019 VDL delivered an AGV system to BASF Ludwigshaven (GER) which was certified for mixed traffic operations as a world’s first.