Case Study

The Port of Rotterdam is the busiest port in Europe and handles a significant portion of the region's imports and exports. In 2020, the port handled over 500 million tons of cargo, including over 19 million containers. Currently, the port relies on human operators to control its container cranes, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors.

If the port were to adopt autonomous container cranes, it could potentially increase efficiency by eliminating the need for human operators and allowing the cranes to operate continuously without breaks. Currently, container cranes at the port operate an average of 8 hours per day, with breaks for meals and rest. By switching to autonomous cranes, the port could potentially increase the amount of time the cranes are in operation to 24 hours per day. This could increase the number of containers the port is able to handle by approximately 250%, from 19 million containers per year to 47.5 million containers per year.

In addition, the use of autonomous cranes could also help reduce the risk of accidents and injuries to workers at the port, improving safety for all involved. According to the International Labor Organization, the global port and terminal industry has one of the highest injury rates of any sector, with a rate of approximately 14 injuries per 100 workers per year. By eliminating the need for human operators, the port could potentially reduce this injury rate significantly.

Finally, the elimination of human operators could lead to significant cost savings for the port, as it would no longer need to pay for labor or provide benefits for crane operators. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for crane operators in the United States is approximately $30 per hour. By replacing human operators with autonomous cranes, the port could potentially save millions of dollars per year in labor costs.

Overall, the adoption of autonomous container cranes at the Port of Rotterdam could potentially revolutionize the supply chain network by increasing efficiency, improving safety, and reducing costs. By increasing the number of containers the port is able to handle and eliminating the need for human operators, the port could potentially improve its bottom line while also improving working conditions for its employees.