ABB charged with electrifying vehicles at new port

ABB will deliver and commission integrated smart charging points for automated guided vehicles (AGV) at the new Tuas port in Singapore. Contracted by ST Engineering Land Systems, ABB will supply: 450 kW high-power chargers; charge point prefabricated skid and container solutions with integrated chargers; and medium- and low-voltage switchgear, transformers and associated control and monitoring equipment. The integrated solution is designed to enable fast installation onsite, ensure a high level of operability and mitigate risk.

Vehicles for transporting heavy shipping containers at the port terminal are scheduled to be delivered from September 2020 through to August 2022, with the ABB chargers and supporting infrastructure set to be installed towards the end of 2020.

The future port is a major milestone in Singapore’s next-generation container terminal development with an annual capacity of 65 million containers (TEU) and is slated to be the largest port in the world by the time it is complete in 2040. The first berth will be operational in 2021.

“The project brings together two of the biggest trends disrupting the mobility industry — the rise of autonomous vehicles and the adoption of EVs,” said Frank Muehlon, Managing Director for ABB’s global EV charging infrastructure business.

“ABB’s technologies will enable quick charging of the AGVs, which is vital for efficient container movement and for increasing the capacity of the port.”

This latest project will further accelerate Singapore’s transition to a future mobility ecosystem that is safer, cleaner and more accessible. It is the first time ABB’s chargers will be used to power a fleet of AGVs for commercial operation. A specially designed and customised connection to the chargers will be enabled for end-to-end integration with the fully electric AGVs.

Image credit: © PSA Corporation.