On May 25, Westwell and Hutchison Port Group Co., Ltd. (“Hutchison Ports”) jointly built the world's first autonomous terminal project with mixed traffic of AI autonomous driving trucks and manned driving trucks. After one-year safe operation, the operation efficiency on the shore has been continuously upgraded to successfully approach the level of manned driving efficiency with stability, so as to be fully put into commercial operation. Since April 2020, the Q-Truck fully-electric autonomous driving truck fleet independently innovated and developed by Westwell has safely operated more than 23,243 TEU of containers in Terminal D of Laem Chabang, Thailand, Hutchison Ports; it is worth mentioning that, unlike the common isolated/semi-isolated autonomous terminal, Westwell has implemented the operation management of the real non-isolated mixed traffic fleet, i.e. manned driving and Q-Truck truck fleet simultaneously and freely travel in the same place. Such project is the first to be put into commercial operation in the world, marking the successful landing of China's AI autonomous driving business plan, so as to provide a new sample for the automation construction of global smart ports and integrated logistics hub in the future.

 (Photo) Currently, there are 6 Q-Truck vehicles at the Laem Chabang Port.

Located along the northern coastline of the Gulf of Thailand, Laem Chabang Port stands as Thailand's most critical international container hub, ranked among the world's top 20 ports in terms of throughput by Lloyd's List. Terminal D, a recent addition to Laem Chabang Port, is among the smart upgrade projects aligned with Thailand 4.0 national strategy, showing potential to become a benchmark for future autonomous terminals globally. Hutchison Ports collaborates with Westwell to pioneer AI cooperation in global ports. To complement the remote-operated cranes and autonomous rubber-tired gantry cranes at Terminal D, Westwell undertakes the comprehensive construction of autonomous driving at Terminal D, with 6 Q-Truck vehicles currently operational for autonomous haulage.

 (Photo) Q-Truck in operation at Laem Chabang Port, Thailand.

The successful implementation of the Terminal D mixed-operation project holds significant importance for AI-driven commercial applications in autonomous driving. According to the Westwell spokesperson, the Q-Truck fleet, in conjunction with the company's independently developed Fleet Management System (FMS), truly realizes the simultaneous operation of autonomous and manual driving fleets. This departure from a semi-closed commercial autonomous driving management model represents a genuine breakthrough in overcoming human-machine physical isolation. The port no longer requires a dedicated autonomous driving area for the Q-Truck fleet; instead, it facilitates open interaction between autonomous and manually driven haulage within the same area. The Q-Truck can autonomously identify surrounding manually or autonomously driven vehicles, personnel, and environmental changes, learning and adhering to complex driving logic. Even when loaded with containers, it safely and precisely executes actions like queuing, giving way, overtaking, and merging.

The Q-Truck fleet covers a comprehensive range of short-haul barges, feeder vessels, and mother vessels, among other vessel types. With a continuous operation capability exceeding 24 hours, it can seamlessly engage in loading and unloading tasks, handling cargo of up to approximately 4,000 containers from the largest vessel types without interruption. Presently, the operational efficiency of Q-Trucks at Terminal D closely approaches that of manually driven haulage at dockside, ensuring stability. Through continual learning and optimization, along with the comprehensive automation upgrades at the port, the overall operational efficiency can be further enhanced.

Westwell's rigor and leadership in AI-driven vehicle development, fleet management, and operational systems enable the immediate deployment of mixed-operation autonomous haulage truck fleets in port-related projects. Moreover, the drivers operating synchronously with autonomous fleets only require basic safety knowledge and operational training, significantly reducing the resource investment involved in port automation upgrades.

(Photo) Q-Truck at Laem Chabang Port engaged in mixed-operation with manually driven vehicles.

As of now, there are no comprehensive legal regulations globally tailored for AI-driven vehicles, and related commercial insurance requires further development. Therefore, the stringent safety requirements for Q-Truck fleets operating successfully in this environment, passing safety standards and on-site testing, serve as the best proof of Westwell's advanced and mature AI capabilities.

AI is the protagonist of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, propelling society towards a new developmental rhythm. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there's an increased urgency to swiftly and comprehensively achieve "remote operation" and "automation." Stephen Ashworth, the Southeast Asia Managing Director of Hutchison Ports, remarked, "We aim to enhance daily operational efficiency through advanced technological solutions, incorporating more AI and minimizing manual intervention. The intelligent operation of ports is an inevitable trend". The project leader from Westwell also mentioned that the successful implementation of this project relied on the shared vision of Hutchison Ports and Westwell for the future development of global port hubs. It was built on Hutchison Ports' clear global planning, strategic layout, groundbreaking thinking, as well as their long-standing and steadfast trust and support for Westwell. As Hutchison Ports' Laem Chabang Terminal D project in Thailand matures, Westwell will continue to collaborate with Hutchison Ports globally, exploring more possibilities in the Belt and Road Initiative, the Middle East, and European markets. It is reported that Hutchison Ports plans to introduce fully electric autonomous haulage operations in more of their terminals in the future.

Additionally, this year, Q-Truck is set to commence commercial operations at COSCO Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Port's Terminal 2 and Xinjiang International Land Port. Simultaneously, Westwell's global AI port solution, WELLOcean, and the intelligent port safety monitoring system, WELLSecurity, have been deployed in over 70 terminals worldwide and will continue to be enhanced. These initiatives aim to facilitate the automation upgrade of global ports and major logistics hubs.

 "Smartization and informatization transformation and application are hot topics and an important focus in the 14th Five-Year Plan. Westwell believes that artificial intelligence will play a crucial role in the future society, but it's not an overnight transformation. We are fortunate to collaborate with global partners like Hutchison Ports, who are pioneers with an adventurous spirit. Together with Westwell, they are committed to continuous innovation and practice, firmly believing that AI will lead to a better future for humanity. Achieving a true mixed operation of autonomous and manual driving at the Laem Chabang Port, as well as approaching and stabilizing operational efficiency towards manual operation efficiency, marks another significant milestone for us. In the future, we hope Westwell can bring new breakthroughs and achievements in more intelligent construction and development."-Kenny, Founder and CEO of Westwell.