Port of Virginia expanding Fleet of Hybrid Electric-Diesel Shuttle Carriers
The Port of Virginia, which can process and move four million shipping containers per year, has placed a repeat order of 11 Kalmar Hybrid Shuttle Carriers that utilize both diesel and regenerative battery power to cut emissions.
The new order helps replace its older Kalmar diesel-hydraulic shuttle carriers, which have been in service since the terminal’s opening in 2007.
This is the sixth successive order by the Port with Kalmar.
The new units are expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023 to the Virginia International Gateway. The VIG is one of the primary container terminals of the Port of Virginia. It is capable of handling the largest vessels used in the Atlantic trade.
After the delivery of this new batch of hybrid shuttle carriers, the port will have 103 Kalmar Hybrid Shuttle Carriers in operation.
The hybrid power unit has a start-stop technology, which compliments the in-house designed and made hybrid battery power-pack. This solution offers fuel savings, reductions and maintenance time and costs and a reduction in CO2 emissions.
“The Port of Virginia has already surpassed a 32% reduction in CO2 emissions since 2017, which is largely due to the long term strategic decision to transition the shuttle carrier fleet to Kalmar hybrids,”
Rich Ceci, Sr. Vice President of Technology and Projects, Port of Virginia explained. “ We are pleased with Kalmar’s continued commitment to delivering on-time quality products to us. Their local support team continues to work together with our management and ILA-partners to keep things moving consistently.”
The Port of Virginia has previously announced a commitment to cut to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.