£5.5 Million Infrastructure Investment At Peel Ports’ Liverpool Container Terminal
‘AutoGate’ technology will minimise turnaround times for hauliers using the Port of Liverpool
Peel Ports Group is investing £5.5million in facilities and processes at the Port of Liverpool Container Terminal to provide hauliers with even faster and more streamlined service. The investment includes an industry-leading automated gate system (AutoGate) that will ensure faster turnaround times for vehicles and minimise administration for drivers and operators.
AutoGate is the latest technological commitment by Peel Ports and forms part of a much wider programme of infrastructure investment underway at the Port of Liverpool. AutoGate will be supplied by global logistics experts Kalmar Global and APS Technology and will deliver major benefits and cost-savings to customers using the Port of Liverpool as their UK gateway.
The £5.5m investment programme complements the £300m already committed to the construction of Liverpool2, Peel Ports’ deep-water container terminal being built alongside the existing container terminal and scheduled to open in 2015.
David Huck, Port Director for Peel Ports Liverpool, said: “Peel Ports is always looking for ways to improve our customers’ experience and this latest tranche of investment in our container terminals, reassures customers that we will work with them to deliver flexible, agile and cost effective logistics solutions.
“Installing a fully integrated automatic gate at Liverpool, along with the latest operating systems, will significantly advance operational efficiency and productivity for the port and for hauliers, reducing costs and having a positive environmental impact by minimising waiting times.”
The AutoGate technology will be used for all containerised cargo at Liverpool and will increase the security and efficiency of terminal transactions. As hauliers enter the terminal, the system will scan the lorry, using the latest line scan technology, automatically capturing all the details (container number, container size and type, hazard placards, and bolt seals) through optical character recognition. It will also read the license plate and take a photo of the driver.
The drivers can then use their biometric ID card and answer a few simple questions on a touch screen monitor to access the terminal. The system will then inform the crane or straddle carrier that unloading or loading will take place and direct the driver to the correct location.
It means hauliers will be able to enter the port and load or unload cargo, without ever having to leave their vehicles, making it faster, more efficient and adding value to customer supply chains.
Scott Skillman, Senior Vice President of APS Technology Group, a member of the ABB Group said: “We are delighted to be a part of this exciting project. Automating the gates and transfer zones within the existing facility will help Peel Ports further enhance customer service, productivity and environmental sustainability.
“We share Peel Ports goals and values in this regard, establishing an ideal partnership as we grow together.”
Tommi Pettersson, VP Automation, Kalmar Global, said: “As a global leader in automation we are able to provide Peel Ports with a seamless and integrated solution to help increase throughput and reduce congestion.
“Kalmar Smartlane can automatically capture information from all trucks and containers entering and leaving the terminal, cutting operating costs and improving efficiency for all users.”
