Former Ports of Auckland boss Tony Gibson used to promote robotic carriers

With automation dead, the robotic straddle carriers at Ports of Auckland aren't getting a lot of use. (Image: BusinessDesk)

Oliver Lewis

Tue, 01 Nov 2022

Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) insists it can convert and use 27 robotic straddle carriers it bought to move cargo as part of its failed automation project.The hulking machines have sat idle at the port since at least June, when the port announced it was ending attempts to automate operations at its Fergusson container terminal. The ambitious project was started in 2016 in a bid to increase cargo handling capacity.About $330 million was spent on improvements related to the automation project (the port says much of the spending would stil...

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