Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland’s primary maritime gateway, has been awarded nearly £400,000 in funding from the Department for Transport’s Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund to conduct a feasibility study on the adoption of autonomous technology that could transform port logistics and operations across the country.
Belfast Harbour will collaborate with digital solutions provider Aidrivers Ltd and container port operator BCT Ltd to trial new autonomous technology for Terminal Tractors, which transport containers between quay cranes and storage areas within ports.
A key focus of the study is to assess whether autonomous operations can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are contributed to by traditional TT operations, while also improving safety and enhancing operational efficiency.
The study will take place at Belfast Harbour’s Victoria Terminal 3 container terminal over a five-month period, starting this month.
While the primary goal is to retrofit existing TTs with autonomous software and hardware, the study also aims to optimize fleet operations, potentially achieving up to 30 percent fuel efficiency gains. The study will also demonstrate the scalability and affordability of autonomous solutions, particularly for smaller ports, setting a precedent for the global adoption of such technologies.
