Autonomous truck rollout at HPH Trust amidst Hong Kong’s smart port push

Six driverless units enter live cargo lanes at Terminal 4 reshaping port logistics operations.

Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Trust has launched Hong Kong’s first autonomous truck (AT) fleet for container transport, with six units now operating at Hongkong International Terminals’ (HIT) Terminal 4, according to a press release.

The 5G-connected ATs operate without a driver’s cab and run in mixed traffic alongside conventional vehicles, using AI-driven algorithms, binocular cameras, sensors, and positioning systems.

They operate 24 hours a day and in all weather conditions, and include obstacle detection and emergency response systems.

The trust said the initiative forms part of its plans to expand AT deployment and develop additional low-emission technologies across terminal operations, including electric trucks, electric reachstackers, and battery swapping stations.

Ivor Chow, Chief Executive Officer of HPH Trust and Managing Director of HIT, said the programme aligns with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) Government’s green port policies.

Liu Chun San, Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the HKSAR Government, said the deployment supports the development of smart and green shipping and the wider transformation of Hong Kong’s port industry.