Singapore's project to operate the world's largest automated port is coming along nicely. The Tuas mega port has successfully handled 10 million containers since it kicked off operations in September 2022, and is expected to increase that to a massive 65 million shipping containers per year in the 2040s, when its four-phase development is complete.
The 10-miilion mark is a major milestone for the fully automated container terminal as it tests its tech ahead of the consolidation of Singapore's other ports to this facility over the next several years. That should reduce inter-terminal haulage operations and make a dent in greenhouse gas emissions from the port.
What does this enormous automated operation look like?
A command center near the port sees humans monitor and remotely operate vehicles and cranes from large screens displaying a digital twin of the facility. That includes a fleet of fast-charging electric automated guided vehicles (AGV) moving through the terminal, autonomously transporting containers atop their flat chassis (each can carry up to two 20-ft containers or a single 40-ft container) at speeds up to 15.5 mph (25 km/h).
Tuas port's fleet currently includes more than 200 of these AGVs, which use RFID to communicate with underground transponders and share their location in real-time for precise positioning and collision avoidance. Nikkei Asia's Fumika Sato reported that on a recent tour of the the mega port, you could hardly spot a human worker at the facility among the bunch of driverless yellow AGVs going about their business.
The AGVs operate via a central fleet management system, and can run for up to 6 hours on a 20-minute charge. These vehicles are said to feature an always-on communications design, which means even if some port networking systems fail, they'll still be available online to be controlled safely.
Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority will digitize Tuas port's operations further with a "Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management System," which will monitor terminal traffic in real-time using AI and satellites. PSA Singapore, which operates the port, plans to grow the AGV fleet by another 200-and-some vehicles as the facility nears completion.
The electrified equipment and vehicles are said to help cut the port's carbon emission by about 50% compared to current diesel-powered machines. The facility will also use a smart grid management system, and feature buildings designed to require nearly 60% less electricity than similar-sized constructions, while also generating solar energy to achieve a net-zero consumption figure.
A major step forward for Singapore
Tuas port began operations in 2022 with three berths. As of last February, it had eight berths and employed 500 people at the facility – and it's set to scale up further over the next several years. The entire port city of Singapore handled 41.12 million 20-ft-equivalent units (TEUs) or containers in 2024. That's a little behind Shanghai's staggering 50 million annual TEU figure. Once Tuas is completed, it will exceed that number by a fair bit at 65 million TEUs at a single terminal.
Source: PSA Singapore
