Using battery-electric AGVs in container terminals - Assessing the potential and optimizing the economic viability

Many large container terminals make use of diesel-powered automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to transport containers between quay cranes and container storage, thereby ensuring a high degree of productivity. However, battery-powered AGVs (B-AGVs) appear to have several economic, environmental, and technical advantages compared to conventional transport fleets. In this study, we use data from a large-scale electric mobility project conducted in a container terminal using B-AGVs in combination with a battery-swapping station to assess the cost efficiency of this emerging transport technology based on a total cost of ownership analysis. Furthermore, we adapt research methodologies from the fields of operations research (optimization) and informatics (simulation) to improve the profitability of B-AGVs. Our findings indicate that the use of B-AGVs is economically beneficial in closed transport systems while several strategies can be used to further increase their profitability. Most promising from an economic perspective is shifting charging processes to off-peak hours, yielding lower energy procurement costs. In this context, terminal operators can achieve savings in total expenditures of more than 10% compared to a diesel-powered transport fleet.