Project Summary
The Port of Tyne has partnered with ANT Machines to begin its ‘AutoANT’ project. Building from the results of an earlier stage trial last year, this one will go one step further, deploying fully autonomous, electric-powered yard robots to replace traditional diesel terminal trucks used for the discharge of containers from vessels. The transition to this autonomous solution promises to reduce operational costs, enhance safety by eliminating direct human interaction with heavy loads, and contribute to decarbonisation efforts in the maritime industry. The project seeks to validate the operational efficiency and environmental benefits of autonomous yard robots in a real-world port setting.
Project Achievements
The primary goal of the AutoANT project was to conduct comprehensive lab testing of the
autonomous yard robot prototype. Key achievements include:
• Developing and validating autonomous navigation capabilities, including object detection, path planning, and collision avoidance.
• Assessing the system’s ability to operate safely without human intervention, focusing on emergency braking, fail-safes, and remote monitoring.
• Assessing the system’s accuracy in localisation and trajectory following.
Conclusions
The AutoANT project has delivered key outputs to validate the feasibility of fully autonomous, electric-powered yard robots at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4. The primary focus was on controlled lab and test-field validation, ensuring the system is robust before advancing to real-world port operations.
Key project outputs include:
• Refined Autonomous Prototype – Development and optimisation of a small-scale prototype, integrating advanced localisation, autonomous navigation, and obstacle detection functionalities.
• TRL 4 Validation in a Test-Field Environment – Controlled testing in a non-operational setting, replicating port conditions, to demonstrate safety, efficiency, and energy performance.
• Performance Data & System Optimisation – Collection and analysis of operational data to refine software algorithms, localisation efficiency, and enhance overall system reliability.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Industry Alignment – Collaboration with port operators, regulators, and industry experts to ensure compliance with safety standards and prepare for next-phase deployment.
Next Steps
Following the successful validation of TRL 4 in a controlled test-field environment, the AutoANT project is now advancing towards real-world deployment. We are currently implementing project learnings into a pre-series version of the ANT Yard Robot, refining its hardware and software to optimise autonomous navigation, obstacle detection, and trailer handling capabilities.
The next phase involves a real-life operational test at the Port of Tyne, where the pre-series ANT robots will be deployed in a live port environment. This stage will:
• Assess system performance under real operational conditions, including interactions with port infrastructure and mixed traffic scenarios.
• Validate safety protocols, efficiency improvements, and environmental benefits in an active logistics setting.
• Gather critical operational data to refine automation capabilities and ensure compliance with industry standards.
