Chinese-state port equipment manufacturer Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (ZPMC) has developed an artificially intelligent autonomous straddle carrier, the ZPMC Al-Strad.
In an online update, the company, the biggest port equipment manufacturer in the world, said the next-generation of straddle carrier would be equipped with the latest Autonomous Driving System “to provide intelligent controls, precise localisation and anti-collision function”.
Additionally, it said the planing algorithm behind the straddle carrier’s system is able to provide the optimal route for the whole fleet “to optimise terminal daily operation efficiency”.
The ZPMC Al-Strad is ready to be put into operation and has already entered the market, according to ZPMC. However, there is no indication as yet which ports or terminals will utilise it.
The company said it “continued to innovate in intelligent port technology” and is “committed to making smart straddle carriers an intelligent benchmark product for ports around the world.
ZPMC has continued to deliver port equipment to ports and terminals across Southeast Asia and around the world, despite the limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Its latest successful venture was the delivery of six rail mounted gantry (RMG) cranes to the Port of Incheon, South Korea.
