Belfast Harbour has secured significant funding to advance autonomous technology.
- The Department for Transport has awarded £400k for this innovative project.
- The initiative will focus on enhancing operations at Victoria Terminal 3.
- Scope includes assessing environmental and economic benefits of automation.
- Key stakeholders are excited about the potential for scalable solutions.
Belfast Harbour leads a consortium that has been awarded nearly £400,000 from the Department for Transport’s Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund. This funding will support a feasibility study for adopting autonomous port technology at Victoria Terminal 3, aimed at optimising fleet operations through autonomous software and hardware.
The project seeks to address inefficiencies in traditional terminal tractor (TT) operations, which have been substantial contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. By reducing idle time for TTs and increasing container throughput, the study explores how these improvements could lead to higher-skilled job opportunities in the maritime industry.
Over a five-month period starting in November, the study will evaluate the scalability and affordability of implementing autonomous solutions across regional ports in the UK and beyond. “Our goal is to develop and demonstrate a regulatory-compliant autonomous TT solution that can be seamlessly replicated,” said Sadaf Ghani, chief marketing communication officer at Aidrivers Ltd.
Laura O’Neill, digital transformation manager at Belfast Harbour, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, highlighting its alignment with Belfast Harbour’s commitment to sustainability. The project aims to bolster the harbour’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) credentials by partnering with key tenants to tackle Scope 3 emissions.
The broader context for this initiative is the economic challenges faced by the maritime sector in Northern Ireland, particularly following the administration of Harland and Wolff, a major shipyard. The Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund, administered by Innovate UK on behalf of the DoT, is part of a larger £206 million programme to promote decarbonisation in the British maritime industry.
The funded study is poised to set new standards for autonomous operations in regional ports, potentially placing UK companies at the forefront of port technology.
