APM & Kalmar Collab in Straddle Carrier Electrification Pilot

Kalmar, a division of Cargotec, has finalized an agreement with APM Terminals Pier 400 in Los Angeles for the delivery of two new Kalmar electric AutoStrads™ and the modernization of two hybrid straddle carriers into electric versions. These initiatives are part of APM Terminal's $60 million electrification pilot program. The order was recorded in Cargotec’s first quarter of 2024 orders, with the pilot expected to begin in the last quarter of 2024.

Jon Poelma, Managing Director at APM Terminals Pier 400, stated, “With this pilot we look to gain greater understanding of how to convert our existing hybrid equipment fleet to fully electric with our onsite mechanic workforce. Electrifying straddle carriers is an essential task for us. We’re confident they will be able to meet the significant operational demands of the terminal. We have made the commitment to our customers to decarbonise supply chains and are aiming for net-zero emissions at the terminal before 2030.”

The pilot will include two electric straddle carriers equipped with high-capacity batteries that offer 45–50 minutes of operational time and can be recharged in about five to six minutes. The recharging process will take place at two designated Kalmar FastCharge™ stations located along the carriers' operational paths, with the Kalmar One Fleet Optimiser’s energy management module handling all charging processes automatically.

Arto Keskinen, Senior Vice President of Horizontal Transportation at Kalmar, commented, “The automated straddle carrier terminal at Pier 400 in Los Angeles is a flagship reference project for Kalmar and a demonstration of our world-class automation and retrofit capabilities. We are exceptionally proud that APM Terminals has selected Kalmar as their partner for this electrification pilot, which will demonstrate the capabilities of our fully electric straddle carrier.”

Opened in August 2002, Pier 400 is the largest container port terminal in the Western Hemisphere, spanning 507 acres and housing 19 Super Post-Panamax ship-to-shore (STS) cranes. It currently operates 132 Kalmar AutoStrads™, all featuring hybrid electric drivetrains.