Terminal Tractors for Port of Mobile

Hyster Company will provide APM Terminals with 10 battery-powered terminal tractors for the Port of Mobile in Alabama.

The electric terminal tractors, which are scheduled to be delivered in 2024, are part of a $60 million investment in port equipment electrification pilots by APM Terminals.

“We have made an industry-leading commitment to be net zero across scopes one, two and three by 2040,” said Jelle Burger, program lead for electrification pilots, APM Terminals.

“Decarbonizing our container handling equipment is a critical component of our progress towards those targets. Hyster has been a trusted resource for container handling equipment, and our collaboration will help us to expand this global effort with the first Hyster electric terminal tractors in North America.”

The electric terminal tractors are designed to provide a zero-emission option to help the terminal, and other port and distribution operations, achieve clean energy targets while maintaining diesel-like performance levels.

Each tractor will be powered by a 260-kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery, which is expected to provide about 9.5 hours of continuous run time on a full charge.

Hyster Company offers 130 lift truck models configured for gasoline, LPG, diesel and electric power, with one of the widest capacity ranges in the industry — from 2,000 to 105,000 lbs.

“We are seeing a clear demand for zero-emission port equipment, including terminal tractor options. Our long history of electrifying forklifts and our ground-breaking work to electrify container handling equipment positions us to bring expertise and learnings to terminal tractors, so we are stepping in to deliver,” said Niek Willems, manager, big truck global accounts, Hyster.

“In doing so, we are reinforcing our commitment to provide clean power choices that allow businesses pursuing emission reductions to access the solution that is most effective and appropriate for their unique application, without compromise.”

The terminal tractors will operate as a gang, serving a ship-to-shore crane at APM Terminals Mobile, a world-class, high productivity terminal connecting sea, road and rail from the U.S. Gulf Coast.

As the crane unloads containers from the ship, the tractors will transport laden and unladen containers between the crane and the yard.

• Each tractor has a 182,000-pound gross combined weight rating.

The electric terminal tractors, which Hyster has worked with Capacity Trucks to develop and will be built in Texas, represent one of several clean power-focused port equipment projects that the company is engaged in.