Laem Chabang Port, located on the eastern coast of Thailand, is the country's largest deep-sea container port and logistics hub. In recent years, the Thai government has actively promoted the construction of smart ports for Thailand and surrounding countries. The integration of Westwell's vehicle fleets has accelerated the modernization and development of Laem Chabang Port's infrastructure.

Man-machine cooperation, displaying notable skill

Laem Chabang Port, situated approximately 130 kilometers from the Thai capital, Bangkok, lies within the "Eastern Economic Corridor," an essential economic development zone in Thailand. It is one of the busiest deep-sea ports globally.

Reporters from Globe magazine visited Pier D at the port and witnessed several massive vessels actively engaged in loading and unloading operations under the scorching sun. Containers were neatly arranged, covering the dock area, while both autonomous and manually driven trucks moved back and forth, efficiently transporting containers to and from various parts of the world.

Among the transport fleet, the autonomous trucks stood out noticeably. These vehicles lacked the traditional driver's cabins, instead featuring modular, Lego-like truck heads. Their streamlined bodies hauled containers to and from the port's different areas in an orderly fashion.

Terminal D operators and Sutira, assistant and operation manager at the Hutchison Port Group (Thailand), accepted the interview from a Globe reporter, disclosing that the terminal handles more than 1,000 truck entries and exits every day, with a mix of autonomous trucks and manned trucks functioning within the same area. Since the test run of the first batch of six autonomous trucks from China in April 2020, the terminal staff and the team from the autonomous driving solutions provider, Westwell, have worked closely together to train relevant personnel on collaborating with the autonomous trucks.

"Truck drivers entering and leaving the port now understand the behavior of autonomous trucks, knowing that getting too close, overtaking, or cutting in will force these trucks to stop," Sutira noted.

Westwell's team, alongside the autonomous trucks, has offered technical support at Laem Chabang for over two years. They enhance vehicle functionalities continuously based on port requirements. Currently, the efficiency of autonomous trucks nearly rivals that of manually driven ones.

With the joint efforts of both teams, autonomous trucks play an increasingly important role in cargo transportation. It is understood that, by the end of October 2022, the autonomous truck fleet has accomplished more than 170,000 TEU in operations.

The development aligns perfectly with the trend.

Stephen, the Southeast Asia Director of the Hutchison Port Group, mentioned in an interview with reporters that according to Thailand's port development plan, Pier D has adopted various advanced technologies to achieve modern remote control operations. Autonomous trucks are instrumental in this setup, demonstrating responsive behavior, high transport efficiency, and an environmentally friendly, energy-saving performance, aligning with green development principles.

The Laem Chabang Port has long grappled with issues such as insufficient carrying capacity, overloaded truck drivers, and inadequate transport capabilities. According to Sutira, dock truck drivers have a taxing job — it's hot, tiring, and involves toiling in 24-hour shifts. Consequently, fewer young people are interested in pursuing this profession. Autonomous trucks have played a significant role in helping operators overcome the shortage of transport capacity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These trucks are immune to "infection" and don't require "quarantine" — they can operate as long as they have enough battery power.

Kenny, the Founder and CEO of Westwell, explained that an autonomous truck can accommodate the workload of four drivers, functioning continuously for 24 hours or covering 140 kilometers after a single charge. The second batch of autonomous trucks arriving in Thailand can autonomously replace batteries within six minutes. Apart from saving energy costs compared to fuel vehicles, these vehicles can reduce carbon emissions by 10.7 tons, equivalent to planting 960 trees.

In order to accommodate the load demands of large cargo ships, the Thai government planned to construct a new deep-sea port in Laem Chabang in the 1960s. However, due to financial constraints, the actual construction of the port didn't begin until the 1980s. Phase 1 and Phase 2 became operational in the 1990s, and the Phase 3 project is currently under construction.

To accommodate the loading demands of large cargo ships, the Thai government planned to construct a new deep-sea port in Laem Chabang in the 1960s. Due to financial constraints, the port's construction began in the 1980s and Phase 1 and Phase 2 became operational in the 1990s. The Phase 3 project is currently under construction.

Recently, the Thai government has been exerting efforts to convert Laem Chabang Port into a world-class environmentally friendly ecological port. While promoting modernization, there's a significant emphasis on green growth, aiming for a continuous improvement in the environment while ensuring harmonious economic, social, and environmental advancements.

Atirat, deputy minister of the Ministry of Transport of Thailand, recently visited Laem Chabang Port and stated that Terminal D is the world's first terminal where autonomous and manually driven trucks operate within the same area. The introduction of the advanced Q-Truck series of autonomous electric trucks from Westwell has elevated Thailand's port operational capacity, aiding in creating the most advanced and efficient intelligent port in the ASEAN region.

After more than two years of use, the Westwell autonomous trucks have earned high praise from customers in Thailand for their safe and efficient operation. Thailand recently received an additional batch of 9 autonomous trucks, and our technical teams are conducting pre-delivery debugging. The cooperation between both parties has become more synchronized, significantly improving the efficiency of the process for the second batch of autonomous trucks, which are expected to be operational by the end of 2022.

After comprehensive training and more than two years of operational practice, Sutira and her team are confident in Thailand's ability to autonomously manage the daily operation and maintenance of the autonomous trucks. With support from a 5G network, autonomous trucks can achieve additional functionalities like remote driving. As the port's modernization level increases, the transportation efficiency of autonomous trucks is expected to surpass that of manually driven trucks.

To meet the growing demand for goods transportation and adapt to international economic development, Thailand is determined to develop Laem Chabang Port into a comprehensive hub with excellent connectivity. The port aims to integrate railway, highway, and inland waterway transport networks, enabling rapid distribution within Thailand and neighboring countries, and achieving a green and intelligent port.

The autonomous truck project at Laem Chabang Port has become a demonstrative venture for Hutchison Port Group, being expanded to multiple countries including the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. According to Tan Limin, Thailand is the first international market for Westwell's autonomous trucks, with international business now accounting for more than half of the company's total operations.

Source: Globe Issue 26, December 28, 2022

Article/“Globe” Magazine Reporter Wang Yuanyuan, Lin Hao, Ding Ting, Zhou Rui (from Bangkok)

Editor/Ma Qiong