Battery-Electric Terminal Trucks Deployed in Western Australia – CleanTechnica

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In an Australian first, Patrick Terminals has deployed nine battery-electric terminal trucks (BEV-TTs) at the Port of Fremantle, Western Australia. This is described as the initial phase of their electrification project. It appears that there is more to come! Patrick was supported in its decarbonisation project by AU$2.5 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). ARENA supports investment in vehicle electrification as part of the Driving the Nation Program. ARENA is an Australian federal government funding agency, set up to “support the global transition to net zero emissions by accelerating the pace of pre-commercial innovation, to the benefit of Australian consumers, businesses and workers.” 

As explained by a Patrick Terminals spokesperson: “There is an upfront premium with going electric (vehicle prices are higher and charging infrastructure needs to be installed). However, Patrick estimates that there will be some opex savings. Energy savings (electricity over diesel) is about 30–40% depending on the relative prices of diesel and electricity. Nonetheless, there is a total cost of ownership gap between electric and diesel. The investment was made possible through a funding contribution from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency under the Driving the Nation Program.”

Australia is a large global importer and exporter. In this field, Patrick stands out as one of Australia’s largest container terminal operators. Patrick’s operations, located at four container ports nationally (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Fremantle) handle approximately 40% of Australia’s container volumes. Patrick Terminals decarbonisation priority areas are fleet modernisation, transitioning to renewable energy use, and influencing rail and road capacity and efficiency.

The commissioning of nine BEV-TTs is a big step in that direction. Patrick’s recent report on lessons learned, Patrick Terminals Charge Ahead, details how 9 cutting-edge BEV-TTs, fast charging infrastructure, and an advanced fleet power management system have replaced 8 traditional diesel trucks in the first six months of this year.

“The Project comprises of 9 x 350kWh Battery Electric TTs along with 2 x 260kW dual-port DC fast chargers, communication and fleet power management systems, and associated site, civil and electrical works at Patrick’s Fremantle terminal in Western Australia. The BEV TTs will be deployed to transfer cargo between quay cranes and stacking areas within the terminal,” the report states.

“Lessons from the report include the importance of a strategic procurement approach, proactive stakeholder engagement and the rapid assembly of a skilled, cross-functional project team,” the spokesperson said. “[This report] showcases the potential for BEVs to revolutionise 24/7 port operations, setting a new standard for sustainability and efficiency in Australia’s terminal industry. ‘Proof of concept’ has been achieved.”

Here’s more: “Port operations have seen limited deployment of heavy BEVs, due to the higher upfront costs of BEVs compared to diesel equivalents, the incremental costs of enabling infrastructure and the current perception that BEVs are unable to perform in a 24-hour environment.

“This project has shown that heavy BEVs can be integrated into a 24/7 operation, and make up a significant portion of the fleet. This is expected to encourage the availability and uptake of BEV into a critical portion of the Australian market.”

I reached out to Patrick Terminals for more details and was sent the following information:

“The trucks and chargers have been delivered by Terberg Malaysia. Patrick developed the fleet management system which manages the charging state of the vehicles. Patrick also managed the charger installation process.

“Patrick’s approach to decarbonisation is to pursue priority investments in fleet modernisation, a transition to renewable energy and influence intermodal (rail and road capacity and efficiency). Patrick has increased its investment program in decarbonisation to support sustainable handling of Australia’s imports and exports. The Battery electric ITVs represent a cornerstone project as part of this approach. The electric ITVs are being used to replace existing end of life diesel ITVs. Eight x diesel ITVs were replaced by nine electric ITVs. The ninth vehicle is utilised to implement a rotation charging concept. As mentioned above, at present there is a total cost of ownership gap between electric and diesel ITVs.”

I was particularly curious about how charging was managed. They added: “Patrick has developed a fleet management software application. The Internal Transfer Vehicles (ITV) periodically report back their state of charge to a central server-based application. When an ITV requires charging, an alert is sent by the fleet management software to the ITV which is displayed on the tablet. The alert requests the driver to return to the charging station, commence charging and swap to another (100% charged) vehicle.”

Apparently, there were some supply chain issues for ICT components. It took longer than originally anticipated for certain IT components to be supplied compared with supply prior to the pandemic. An example of this was the availability of suitable tablets.

Patrick’s Fremantle operations are looking at achieving the following objectives going forward. “Analysing the impact on charging loads and patterns to inform the case for alternative energy pricing models. Operating of the TT fleet to help address key barriers to adoption, such as vehicle purchase and infrastructure costs, vehicle running costs, and operational flexibility. Building the market confidence around the reliability of the new technology, energy costs and other operating metrics through knowledge sharing activities.”

Michael Jovicic, CEO Patrick Terminals, conveyed the significance of the project as a positive step towards electrification and emissions reductions in the Patrick Terminals Fremantle operations. “The project, supported by allocation of $2.5 million from ARENA funding, allows Patrick Terminals to lead the port industry’s transition to electric vehicles, deploying nine cutting-edge battery electric terminal trucks and fast chargers at our Fremantle operations. The introduction of electric terminal equipment at our Fremantle operations is an exciting initiative that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investing capital in our Fremantle terminal to support longevity of port operations whilst also aligning with our commitment to decarbonising our operations.”

And, it is not just Australia. Terberg has already supplied 20 BEV-TTs to DP World’s Callao terminal in Peru where they have been successfully integrated into its daily operations. “These Terbergs, with a 236-kWh battery capacity, are now running 15–20 hours each day, marking a significant milestone in terminal logistics.” Terberg is quoted as saying. “This large implementation has already provided us with valuable insights and, above all, confidence in the design, quality, and capabilities required for such a deployment. The robust parallel battery design allows the trucks to continue operating even if one of the battery packs encounters an error.” Terberg has deployed electric BEV-TTs in the Netherlands and has its eye on the US market.

As you would expect, there was a commissioning and training process to ensure that all employees were familiar with the new equipment. I was specifically curious about the safety risk potentially posed by the quiet operation of these vehicles and was assured: “The units are operated in yards where there are no personnel and all operators are aware of standard processes for accessing the various yards while operating these vehicles.” The BEV-TTs will be powered from the Western Australian electricity grid, which is currently averaging 30% renewable energy supply. As electrification moves steadily into all areas of transport, the future is bright, electric, and sustainable.