Posted on May 19, 2025
Port Antwerp authorities are experimenting with autonomous vehicles and boats to automate short-distance transfers and some not-so-short ones. On Thursday, the port was the stage for a live demonstration of a fully electric shuttle system for transfers between key operational areas, including warehouses, stacks and gates, reducing the need for diesel-powered vehicles and personnel.
The vehicle, part of a Port Antwerp project put together with tech associates Akkodis, VDL, and Medrepair, is built on the VDL 3-axle MTT platform, featuring 6×4 electric transmission and a dynamic axle system designed for “consistent performance under varying loads and terrain.”
Part of the Pioneers innovation programme
The unit is equipped with intelligent navigation software and high-resolution sensors. It follows a pre-set route autonomously, with full operational visibility maintained via a central Human-Machine Interface (HMI).
Port officials said yesterday’s showcase is part of the PIONEERS project funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
The live trial tested the shuttle’s performance and integration in a real-world setting, marking the second successful test of the system, following a technical validation earlier this year in Breda, the Netherlands.
“For terminal operators and logistics companies, the autonomous shuttle represents a modular, scalable, and interoperable component of Logistics as a Service (LaaS) strategies, opening new possibilities for reducing turnaround times, minimising labour constraints, and increasing yard throughput,” the port said.
A vessel called Deseo
The automated inland vessel called Deseo has been transporting containers between the port of Zeebrugge and the port of Antwerp via a fixed route for three months. The vessel is continuously monitored in an onshore control centre.
“These activities are part of the Shore Supported Navigation project of Blue Cluster,” the Blue Cluster website reported. “The aim is to evolve towards a smaller crew on board eventually. Sailing with a smaller crew and support from a control centre is the first step towards autonomous shipping.”
Belgium’s Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Lydia Peeters, said, “Innovations related to automation of inland shipping help the sector move forward, and the Flemish government wants to take up a pioneering role in this regard. The project on automated shipping offers an answer to the mobility challenges of the future.”
