Feature, Freight News, Road, Sea


Felixstowe expands auto truck fleet to 100

[ July 6, 2026   //   ]

Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe has confirmed an order for a third batch of autonomous trucks from Shanghai Westwell Technology. It will increase its fleet to 100 vehicles and builds on the successful introduction of autonomous trucks into mixed-traffic container terminal operations at Felixstowe, the first deployment of its kind in Europe.

The new trucks will incorporate enhanced sensor and perception technology, including 128-line LiDAR and advanced camera systems, providing a more detailed understanding of the operating environment in a busy terminal.

The investment also includes a second automated battery swapping station. The port’s existing station enables autonomous trucks to exchange depleted batteries for fully charged units in just five to six minutes, helping to maximise fleet availability.

The port’s private 5G network, one of the largest industrial private deployments in the UK, enables real-time connectivity between trucks, control systems and terminal infrastructure.

The autonomous trucks are fully electric. The port has used only electricity certified as being from renewable sources since April 2023, and the expanded fleet will support the port’s target of achieving Net-Zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035.

Tags: