DP World uses Kempower high-speed chargers at port in London – electrive.com

In June 2023, DP World ordered eight fully electric Kalmar straddle carriers with high-energy batteries at its London Gateway logistics hub. The straddle carriers will now be charged with fast chargers from Kempower.

The two Finnish companies are supplying DP World at its London Gateway harbour, located on the Thames between London and the mouth of the river in the North Sea. The electric vehicles and chargers are being put into operation at the port’s fourth terminal, which opened in November following an investment of £350 million. The terminal is the first in DP World’s history to be ‘all-electric’ and to rely entirely on electric vehicles, which should enable the company to emulate its experience at the company’s other terminals.

The £12 million straddle carriers supplied by Kalmar weigh around 62 tonnes and require 45 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 per cent using Kempower’s fast chargers to operate for up to four hours. DP World plans to electrify its ports and terminal facilities worldwide by 2050 and to become a net-zero logistics company.

Andrew Bowen, UK Chief Operating Officer at DP World, said: “We are delighted to work with Kempower on this project, alongside our longstanding partner Kalmar, which builds on five years of work at London Gateway to successfully convert our hybrid straddle carrier fleet into a fully electric operation.” 

According to Kempower, this is Europe’s first ultra-high power 500A continuous charging system for Kalmar electric straddle carriers. Kempower equipped DP World London Gateway with eight liquid-cooled charging satellites, eight 500 kW power units and the Kempower ChargEye charging management system.

For Kempower, the project in London is an important step as the company expands its solutions to the harbour area. Following the successful implementation of this pilot project, DP World and Kempower have said they look forward to exploring further cooperation and possible expansion.

DP World would also be an important partner for Kempower beyond London. The Dubai-based company is one of the world’s largest port operators, with around 80 terminals worldwide. At its home port of Jebel Ali in Dubai, DP World is already working on the electrification of container flows and is cooperating with Einride in this endeavour.

kempower.com