DP World has participated in a self-driving vehicle trial in mixed traffic at its Antwerp Gateway terminal, one of the busiest container terminals in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The automated demonstration was developed by VDL Automated Vehicles within the framework of the PIONEERS innovation programme.
During the live trial, the fully electric autonomous vehicle operated inside the active terminal environment, transporting empty containers across the yard. It followed a predefined route between operational buffer areas and storage blocks while interacting with normal terminal traffic, including trucks and internal vehicles.
Ahead of the demonstration, the project involved a preparation phase in which the vehicle completed several test runs at the terminal to validate the setup and operating conditions before entering live operations.
The initiative enabled DP World Antwerp and its partners to observe how autonomous transport technology performs in real working conditions and gain practical operational insight. Edi Cioran, CEO of DP World Antwerp, said: “Innovation at terminal level starts with understanding how new technologies behave in real operational situations. This demonstration gives us the opportunity to learn, together with our partners, from a live environment.”
Led by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the PIONEERS consortium brings together ports, terminal operators, technology developers and public partners to test innovative solutions for port logistics. Following the trial period, observations and results will be reviewed and shared within the consortium and DP World globally.
The project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme
