Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

ports

Nokia partners on wireless digitalisation infrastructure for ports and terminals

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Kalmar, part of Cargotec, a pioneer in terminal automation and energy-efficient cargo handling, and Ukkoverkot, leading private LTE network provider, have signed a two-year co-operation agreement with Nokia to design, build and operate a private LTE network.

Nokia brings the digital automation platform that is well suited for mobile machinery and industrial Internet of Things.

A test network reflecting an actual terminal environment will be built for research and development purposes.

[Read more…] about Nokia partners on wireless digitalisation infrastructure for ports and terminals

TuSimple to launch autonomous truck for port logistics

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A startup company called TuSimple is said to be ready to launch its autonomous truck for logistics operations at seaports in China. (See video below.)

This is according to a report in the South China Morning Post, which says the company is in talks with 10 ports in the country and is just a couple of months away from rolling out is first driverless truck at one of those ports, possibly more.

The company has already conducted debut trials at the National Intelligent Connected Vehicle Pilot Zone in Shanghai, where the port is the second-busiest in the world.

TuSimple is a Chinese company with big-name investors in the US, including chipmaker Nvidia.  [Read more…] about TuSimple to launch autonomous truck for port logistics

New port technology conference debuts at CeMAT

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Digital processes for ports will be the main theme at the new CeMAT Port Technology Conference making its debut on 25 April as part of CeMAT 2018 in Germany.

Experts from industrial and transport enterprises estimate that 40 to 50% of total transport costs originate in ports.

This share of the overall cost of transport chains translates into enormous savings potential for inland and sea transport carriers – provided they are capable of implementing consistent digitization strategies when moving goods.

[Read more…] about New port technology conference debuts at CeMAT

Logistics companies utilising robotics and automation at ports to optimise operations

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This season’s CeMAT Port Forum is themed Seaports as Opportunities for Logistics Chain Optimization and will feature high-power speakers from government, port companies and port customers.

Keynote topics this year include shippers’ rising expectations of the quality and punctuality of international and intermodal logistics chains and the growing capacity shortages in hinterland infrastructure, as well as robotics and automation. Intralogistics topics will also be on the agenda.

Port operators are increasingly meeting these challenges through ongoing investment in modern handling, warehousing and IT technology. Moreover, logistics companies are increasingly exploring new robotics and automation technology for ports and warehousing operations.  [Read more…] about Logistics companies utilising robotics and automation at ports to optimise operations

Ports and docks prepare for new phase of robotics and automation

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When you think of the technology at docks and ports, the first things that may spring to mind are the giant cranes that pick containers off the ships and place them somewhere on the dock.

These “gantry cranes” as they’re called stand taller than the ships at several tens of metres high and have lifting capacities of several tens of tons. But they’re all manually operated – just like the cranes you might see on construction sites.

In fact, there’s very little automation let alone machine autonomy present at the vast majority of docks and ports and ports around the world, which perhaps is not surprising given the history of docks as a massive employer of manpower. The work was always done by humans and was essentially simple – lift and move boxes. [Read more…] about Ports and docks prepare for new phase of robotics and automation