Port and Terminal Electrification
What does electrification mean in terminal logistics?
Electrification in terminal logistics covers two scopes: (1) grid-connected assets such as quay cranes and on-shore power supply for vessels (shore power / cold ironing) and (2) battery-electric horizontal transport (terminal tractors, AGVs, yard trucks). Together, these reduce CO₂ and local emissions while enabling data-driven energy and asset management across the yard.
Main goals of terminal electrification:
- Decarbonization [&] Compliance
- Operational Efficiency [&] Availability
- Energy Resilience
- ESG [&] Financing
Why should ports and terminals electrify?
- Community & health: Ports are in dense urban areas—cutting local emissions improves air quality.
- Decarbonization & compliance: Align with UN sustainability goals, IMO/EU targets and avoid future penalties.
- Resilience & cost stability: Diversify energy sources (grid, solar, wind, BESS, port microgrid) vs. diesel volatility.
- Operational modernization: Enable scheduling, telemetry, and analytics that improve availability.
Technologies
Which technologies enable terminal electrification?
Shore Power & Grid
When vessels berth, shore power systems (cold ironing) connect ships to the grid and cut auxiliary engine emissions at the quay (CO₂ reduction via shore power). Planning typically involves the port authority, while terminal equipment electrification is handled by the terminal operator.
BESS & Port Microgrids
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and port microgrids buffer peak loads, stabilize charging demand, and raise the share of renewables. Combined with fast chargers or battery swapping, they protect port grid capacity and improve equipment availability.
Electric RTG & RMG Cranes
Modern electric RTG/eRTG and RMG cranes reduce diesel use and noise. Power can be delivered via cable reels or busbars; regenerative braking can feed energy back into the system.
Battery-Electric Horizontal Transport & Charging
- Fast plug-in charging adapted from automotive EVs.
- Opportunity charging during natural idle windows (crane moves, shift breaks).
- Battery swapping to minimize downtime; best where high availability is critical. Automated docking interfaces are increasingly used to make connect/disconnect seamless.
Challenges & How to Address Them
What are the main obstacles for terminals electrification?
Terminal electrification reduces CAPEX risk with simulation and funding, mitigates grid capacity constraints with BESS/microgrids and renewables, and tames operational complexity by letting the Terminal Operating System (TOS) and Equipment Control System (ECS), together with an Energy Management System (EMS), schedule charging, all visualized in a digital twin.
Challenges
- Capital expenditure - Vehicles, chargers, and on-site infrastructure require significant upfront investment, especially for small and mid-size terminals.
- Grid capacity and supply - Terminals often need grid upgrades and a plan for secured green energy to fully capture decarbonization benefits.
- Operational complexity - Charging adds a new planning layer (when/where to charge, avoiding bottlenecks).
Electrification approach
- De-risk before you buy: Use port terminal simulation to right-size fleet, battery capacities, charger count or placement, and peak power. Stage rollouts for brownfield sites. Leverage funding to co-finance pilots. Build a TCO or ROI model tied to availability and kWh/TEU to prioritize investments.
- Plan grid early & add buffers: Map external grid upgrades and internal distribution upfront. Use BESS and port microgrids to shave peaks and stabilize charging. Raise renewable share with on-site solar or wind; consider equipment as buffer storage during off-peak shifts. Align responsibilities: Port Authority, shore power, terminal operator, equipment electrification.
- Operationalize charging: Choose the right mode for your yard, out-of-operation, opportunity charging, or battery swapping, validated via simulation. Let TOS/ECS (with an EMS) schedule charging alongside moves. Use a digital twin for real-time visibility (state of charge, charger queues, energy flows). Adopt TIC 4.0 data models to speed integration.
Global perspective
How does adoption differ across regions?
- Europe: A frontrunner due to regulatory pressure and funding; many pilots and stepwise rollouts.
- North America & Asia: Strong leaders exist, but adoption often follows corporate strategy or local policy.
- Universal pattern: Terminals advance faster when policy creates clear incentives or when global groups commit to decarbonization roadmaps across their networks.
Charging strategies
How do charging strategies affect operations
- Out-of-operation charging: Equipment charges during defined downtime windows; simple to schedule but can require more peak power.
- Opportunity charging: Assets top up during natural idle times (e.g., crane moves, shift breaks) to smooth demand and reduce peak loads.
- Battery swapping: Highest asset availability; requires swap stations and logistics for battery inventory.
Key takeaway: The “right” strategy is terminal-specific. Fleet mix, shift patterns, layout, dwell times, and grid constraints matter.
Electrification planning guide
From Idea to Implementation
Electrifying a terminal succeeds when ambitions translate into a clear, evidence-based process. This guide sets the frame for disciplined decisions, aligning teams, reducing risk, and keeping momentum, so you can move from vision to executable actions with confidence.
Baseline & Objectives
Quantify diesel use, duty cycles, peak shifts, yard layout, and CO₂ targets.
Scenario Design
Test fleet mixes, battery sizes, charger placement, charging strategy, and stepwise rollout.
Grid & Energy Strategy
Confirm available capacity, upgrade needs, and green power sourcing; explore storage and on-site generation.
Operational Integration
Align EMS with TOS/ECS scheduling (who decides when to charge?); define SOPs for manual fleets vs. automated fleets.
Pilot, Measure, Scale
Run pilots, measure KPIs (availability, kWh/TEU, charging wait time), refine, and then scale to full fleets.
Funding & Procurement
Map grants to pilot phases; build vendor-neutral specs; include data/standards requirements.
What’s next
The near future of port and terminal electrification
Operational finesse beats brute force. Rather than oversizing everything, ports fine-tune fleet mix, battery size, and charger count with simulation, then scale in steps. Automated connectors reduce human error at the plug, while AI-supported scheduling predicts peak windows and steers charging away from bottlenecks.
Model Your Electrification Scenarios
How we help
Simulation for Electrification Planning
Try before you buy. Our simulation models let you safely answer critical questions:
- What is the optimal fleet size and battery capacity per asset?
- Which charging strategy minimizes downtime for my specific layout and shifts?
- How many chargers do I need, where should I place them, and what is the peak power profile?
- What does a stepwise rollout look like for my brownfield terminal?
- How do battery swapping and fast-charging compare in my operation?
Outcome: Evidence-based CAPEX and OPEX decisions, a funding-ready pilot plan, and a realistic migration path.
Digital Twin & Energy Twin
Extend planning into operations. Our digital twin provides real-time visibility of:
- Charger status, queueing, state-of-charge, and utilization
- Energy flows across assets and shifts
- Integration hooks for EMS and TOS scheduling
Outcome: Continuous optimization, fewer surprises, and transparent reporting for stakeholders and financiers.
Advisory & Enablement
- Grant mapping and application support for pilot projects
- Vendor-agnostic specs and RFP support (batteries, chargers, swapping systems)
- Standards-aligned data models (TIC 4.0) and integration blueprints
Deepen your knowledge
Further insights into electrification
Our website offers you comprehensive opportunities to deepen your knowledge of electrification.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, you will find the right content here:
Your contact persons
Norbert Klettner
Managing Director
Consultant Port Logistics
Dr. Lawrence Henesey
Director of Sales
Consultant Port Logistics