Eight Kalmar electric straddle carriers arrive at London Gateway

DP World has welcomed the arrival of eight fully electric straddle carriers for its soon-to-be-opened £350m new fourth berth at London Gateway.

According to DP World, new zero-emission machines will be part of the “first all-electric fleet at any port in the world servicing the first-ever all-electric berth”.

Delivered by Kalmar, £12m straddle carriers weigh approximately 62 tons and will require only 45 minutes of charge to operate for up to four hours. The battery size is 407 kWh and the machines are equipped with two charging options: a CCS2 charger (350 kW) connected from the ground and Kalmar’s overhead pantograph system (400 kW).

Ahsan Agha, Vice President 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 container ships 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.”