From AGVs to Autonomous Terminal Trucks – what can container terminal operators learn from intralogistics?

Container terminal operators face significant challenges, with growing freight volumes, port congestion, and truck driver shortages impacting efficiency and profitability. As operators increasingly turn to automation, a parallel can be drawn with the evolution in intralogistics from  Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). 

The adoption of AMRs in intralogistics has overtaken that of AGVs in recent years, driven by the need for more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. This shift offers valuable insights into the transition in container terminals from AGVs to autonomous terminal trucks.

AGVs vs. AMRs and ATTs

The key difference between Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) is spelled out in their names: AGVs are automated but require external guidance, while AMRs and ATTs are autonomous and can navigate independently. AGVs don’t have significant computing capabilities which means they have limited environmental awareness and cannot make decisions on their own. 

They operate by following predefined paths using infrastructure like magnetic strips or laser guidance, requiring significant capital investments. Most importantly, they do not operate in mixed, dynamic environments for lack of advanced safety and obstacle avoidance functionality.

Inherent limitations of AGV systems:

Fixed Routes and Infrastructure Requirements: AGVs typically require predefined paths, often necessitating physical guides or markers. This inflexibility makes it challenging to adapt to changing layouts or workflows.

Scalability and Flexibility Constraints: Expanding AGV systems often requires significant infrastructure modifications, making scalability both costly and time-consuming.

High Capital and Operating Costs: The infrastructure requirements and specialized nature of AGVs result in substantial upfront investments and ongoing maintenance expenses.

Safety Concerns and Operational Restrictions: To ensure safety, AGVs often require closed-off, sterile work areas, limiting human-robot collaboration and reducing overall operational flexibility.

These limitations limit the efficiency gains that AGVs provide. The challenges faced by AGVs in intralogistics mirror those encountered in container terminals. Traditional AGV systems in ports usually operate in sterile fully automated terminals. These are costly and take time to build, making them less appealing for mid-sized brownfield container ports. 

The Rise of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)

With advances in computing, sensor technology, and AI, just like the autonomous vehicle industry, AMRs have made huge strides.  The supply chain crisis caused by COVID-19 triggered growing AMR adoption to meet demand and the need for business agility. 

AMR sales have surpassed  AGV sales and are expected to continue with double-digit growth. 

Prioritizing Safety: This is especially critical when it comes to human safety in dynamic, fast-paced industrial settings. Safety sensors and mechanisms are mandated by regulatory standards such as ANSI/ITSDF B56.5-2019 in the United States and EU EN ISO 3691-4:2020 in the European Union. These guidelines provide frameworks for achieving acceptable risk levels in automated vehicular systems.

What Autonomous Terminal Trucks can learn

The autonomous technology advancements driving the AMR revolution in intralogistics are now being applied to container terminal automation:

Advanced Perception and Navigation:

Modern autonomous vehicles utilize a combination of sensors, cameras, and AI to perceive their environment and navigate complex layouts. This includes functionality such as mapping, highly accurate localization, navigation, and maneuverability.

Intelligent Task Optimization:

AI-driven scheduling and routing algorithms aim to optimize vehicle movements.

Enhanced Safety Features:

Advanced obstacle detection and prediction capabilities allow autonomous vehicles to operate safely in mixed-traffic environments.

No need for dedicated infrastructure or closed-off zones:

Autonomous trucks can be deployed with minimal changes to existing terminal infrastructure compared to traditional AGV systems, significantly reducing deployment cost and time.

Flexibility:

These vehicles have the potential to operate alongside manned equipment, adapting to changing terminal conditions.

Several ports and terminals worldwide are already trialing and implementing autonomous vehicle technology.

Ongoing operation

ATTs operate within a wider environment. Here are some additional aspects of AMR operation that apply to the use of ATTs in container ports: 

Task management and route definition

AMRs need to be preprogrammed with instructions regarding the tasks they need to perform. They need to understand where they need to go, what they need to do once they get there and what they should do once they’re done. These instructions are usually pre-programmed via simple interfaces, while advanced decision making capabilities empower effective robot fleet management and the efficient handling of multiple tasks.  

Integration with automation systems

There’s only so much an AMR can do on its own, without being integrated into a facility’s operational software. These systems manage order fulfillment while orchestrating equipment operation and workflow, assigning tasks and verifying completion via the AMR fleet management system. 

Ongoing operation and maintenance

Fleet management and robot operation systems visualized on real-time robotic fleet dashboards empower AMR operators to securely operate robots and troubleshoot common problems. Using these systems, operators assign tasks, check robot locations, monitor robot sensors and systems, summon robots, check logs, access analytics and receive alerts.

Conclusion

The transition from AGVs to AMRs in intralogistics offers a blueprint for container terminal automation. As terminals grapple with efficiency challenges and labor shortages, autonomous terminal trucks present a viable solution to removing horizontal transport bottlenecks. By leveraging advanced autonomous technologies, ports can achieve higher efficiency, improve worker safety, and even help meet decarbonization targets.

Autonomous Truck technology is available and maturing rapidly, offering terminal operators an opportunity to explore new ways to meet the growing demands of global trade.

Talk to us to find out more.