Hutchison Port Holdings Trust has deployed Hong Kong's first AI-powered driverless trucks at Kwai Tsing Container Terminal to address a chronic manpower shortage. The fleet of six electric autonomous vehicles has handled more than 8,000 container movements since January. Officials noted that the trucks can share roads with traditional vehicles without requiring designated lanes.
Hutchison Port Holdings Trust invited media on Tuesday to view a fleet of six electric autonomous trucks at Kwai Tsing Container Terminal 4. The fleet, Hong Kong's first AI-powered driverless trucks, was launched in January.
"Hong Kong has been affected by a labour shortage across sectors. In particular, the supply of commercial vehicle drivers has been relatively very tight and our port is no exception," said Raymond Lam Wai-kui, director of operations at Hong Kong International Terminals, a member of Hutchison Port Holdings Trust.
"Introducing these driverless vehicles has helped us solve some of the issues brought about by a manpower crunch. We aim to expand this initiative to meet daily port operations without affecting existing staffing," Lam added. Since the start of the year, the six trucks have handled more than 8,000 container movements at Terminal 4.
The trucks are equipped with AI-driven double cameras, an advanced positioning system, and laser radar to operate in "mixed mode" at the port, sharing roads with traditional vehicles without needing a designated lane. The trust is affiliated with Hutchison Ports, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings controlled by the family of billionaire Li Ka-shing.
