EUROGATE, one of Europe’s largest container terminal and logistics groups, and Embotech, a Swiss pioneer in safety-certified Level-4 autonomy, have launched a second pilot project for Autonomous Terminal Tractors (ATTs) at the EUROGATE marine terminal in Hamburg. The six-month pilot started at the end of January and builds on the successful technical feasibility pilot completed at EUROGATE Wilhelmshaven.

From Feasibility to Operational Evaluation

While the Wilhelmshaven pilot validated the technical maturity of Embotech’s Autonomous Tractor Solution (ATS) across landside and waterside operations, the Hamburg pilot shifts the focus to operational performance. The autonomous tractors will carry out container transport moves between the railway terminal and the container terminal via straddle carrier interchange zones, covering a critical segment of horizontal container movement. Performance will be assessed through throughput, availability, and process stability under day-to-day terminal conditions.

“This second pilot represents a logical next step,” said Johannes Stelten, Managing Director EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg. “After validating the technical capabilities of autonomous terminal tractors in Wilhelmshaven, Hamburg allows us to evaluate how autonomy performs against operational KPIs and within commercial terminal processes.”

New Automation Capability: Autonomous Coupling A key technical addition in Hamburg is automated coupling between tractor and trailer, supplied by AUCOS. The AUCOS Coup system connects air, power, and data via the kingpin, allowing tractor–trailer coupling without manual intervention. The system integrates with Embotech’s AV Kit, enabling precise reverse maneuvers and trailer buffering required in both the railway terminal and straddle carrier interchange zones. This capability enhances operational efficiency while maintaining high safety standards.

Operating in Mixed-Traffic Environments

The Hamburg pilot tests autonomous tractors in mixed traffic, sharing lanes with manually driven terminal vehicles and working alongside straddle carrier processes. Embotech’s ATS continuously plans trajectories in real time, adapting to dynamic interactions and maintaining safe and predictable movement throughout terminal operations.

“Autonomy only creates value when it performs reliably in daily operations,” said Niklas Thomas, Head of Business Development at Embotech. “This pilot lets us evaluate our system against operational and commercial benchmarks in close cooperation with EUROGATE and our partners.”

The project demonstrates a stepwise approach to autonomy – from feasibility and certification to operational evaluation – in a live mixed-traffic environment.