• Order includes 71 battery-powered Konecranes Lift Automated Guided Vehicles , TEAMS ECS extension to operate 100+ AGVs, a Third Battery Exchange Station and CONTROLS Emulation software
• Konecranes also to provide services for integration, commissioning and automation
• Order booked in Q3 2024, with delivery and commissioning expected to begin in 2025

APM Terminals Maasvlakte II B.V. has chosen an extensive Automated Horizontal Transport System from Konecranes as part of a project to double its capacity at the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port. The order from global port operator APM Terminals’ Dutch subsidiary was booked in Q3 2024, with delivery and commissioning expected to begin in 2025.

Maasvlakte II, a significant hub for global logistics, spans 180 hectares and features a 2,000-meter-long deep-sea quay (and 500 meters of barge quay). In early 2023, APM Terminals launched an expansion project to double its terminal capacity. Konecranes has supported APM Terminals Maasvlakte II B.V. for more than a decade and was thus chosen to play a key role in this important project.

The order is comprised of 71 Konecranes Lift Automated Guided Vehicles (Lift AGVs) and a TEAMS Equipment Control System. The AGVs will be part of the terminal expansion and interface to the existing equipment as well as the Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, container stacks and existing infrastructure from Phase I. A Konecranes Battery Exchange Station, taking the total on-site to 3, was ordered as part of the system deliverables.

“The performance of Konecranes equipment consistently meets our expectations. By selecting this environmentally friendly Automated Horizontal Transport System for the port expansion project, we’re laying the groundwork for achieving our ambitious goals and carbon-reduction targets,” says Harold Kunst, Managing Director from APM Terminals Maasvlakte II B.V.

“With this order, APM Terminals Maasvlakte II B.V is enhancing performance from control room to quayside. We’ve been working together for many years and are honored to extend our relationship with such a key contribution to this vital terminal expansion project. It’s yet another indication of the trust that port operators around the world place in Konecranes equipment and system expertise,” says Ralf Konnerth, Director of Automated Horizontal Transport at Konecranes.

A third Konecranes Battery Exchange Station is also included in the order. The battery-operated AGVs produce zero emissions during operation.

Konecranes’ CONTROLS Emulation software is a key part of the delivery. This digital twin, virtual terminal environment allows APM Terminals Maasvlakte II B.V to simulate operations exactly as in real life. The software is linked to and uses the same interfaces as the actual Terminal Operating System, so mission-critical operations can be planned in detail before execution. This improves safety and efficiency, while also providing a way to train new operators.

On-site integration, commissioning and automation-consultancy services complete the deal, helping APM Terminals Maasvlakte II B.V to optimize the handling efficiency and safety of all the new equipment.

This contract is part of Ecolifting™, Konecranes’ vision to increase its handprint – meaning the beneficial environmental impact that can be achieved with our product and service portfolio – while reducing customers’ carbon footprints. From eco-optimizing diesel drives, to hybridization and fully-electrified fleets, we will continue to do more with less.

This is also part of Konecranes’ path to port automation, where container terminals can improve productivity and safety in manageable steps. From smart features up to full automation, the path can include supervised operation and remote operation to smoothly introduce the power of automation. The path to port automation applies to all container handling equipment brands. Full automation can be the final goal but it doesn’t have to be. Flexibility is the key.

A strong focus on customers and commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a material handling industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalization and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonize the economy and advance circularity and safety.