Eight electric straddle carriers for London Gateway

The new machines are said to be part of the first all-electric fleet at any port in the world servicing the first ever all-electric berth.

“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,” said Ahsan Agha, vice president port operations at DP World London Gateway.

“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.”

The £12m straddle carriers weigh approximately 62 tonnes and reportedly require just 45 minutes of charge to operate for up to four hours.

Delivered by Kalmar, the new straddle carriers are zero emission, marking a significant step forward towards DP World’s plans to electrify its ports and terminals equipment across the world by 2050.

The opening of the new fourth berth will mark a major step forward in realising DP World’s sustainability ambitions and follows the announcement that its UK terminals at both Southampton and London Gateway are now diesel-free after adopting hydrotreated vegetable oil.