The project, carried out by the Institute for Motor Vehicles (ika) in collaboration with port operators at the Altenwerder Container Terminal and the Düsseldorf Container Port, as well as with Konecranes, focused on the electrification of terminal tractor fleets and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The primary aim was to develop a comprehensive simulation environment that could evaluate different operating and charging strategies for these electric vehicles, and to provide manufacturers and operators with data‑driven recommendations for component sizing and fleet composition.
In the first work package, ika defined the requirements for the simulation environment in close consultation with the terminal operators. The operators demanded that the electrified fleet must maintain full operational capacity without disrupting existing workflows, and that the solution be cost‑effective. Five key questions guided the design: the number of electric vehicles required compared to a conventional fleet, the necessary energy storage capacity, the placement of charging infrastructure, the number of charging points, and the required power per charging point. These questions were translated into adjustable parameters within the simulation, allowing the number of vehicles, their battery capacities, and the charging power to be varied. The operators agreed to locate charging stations at existing vehicle parking spots to enable drivers to charge during mandatory rest periods, which typically consume about 12 % of an eight‑hour shift.
A representative reference cycle for the Altenwerder Terminal Tractor (CTA‑TT) was constructed from a month’s worth of data supplied by CTA. The dataset, extracted from the Terminal Operating System (TOS), recorded all container movements, pickup and delivery times, and vehicle identifiers. By classifying vehicle states into “idle” (at least 25 minutes without a task) and “moving” (all other periods), the team derived realistic duty cycles that could be fed into the simulation. Similar reference cycles were developed for the Düsseldorf Terminal Tractor (DCH‑TT) and the CTA‑AGV.
Work package 1.2 introduced a total cost of ownership (TCO) model for a terminal tractor, incorporating fuel and energy costs, maintenance, and other operational expenses. This model was integrated into the simulation to evaluate the economic impact of different fleet configurations and charging strategies.
Battery characterization was carried out in work package 3.1. The battery packs were instrumented to record voltage, current, and temperature during operation. Constant‑current discharge tests established baseline performance, while pulse testing using the Hybrid Pulse Power Characterization (HPPC) method measured the battery’s response to rapid load changes. Full cycle testing and a CTA‑specific cycle were performed to assess degradation over time. These tests provided the data needed to parameterize the battery model used in the vehicle simulations.
Vehicle dynamics were modeled in work package 4.1. Drive‑train models were built using the component data supplied by Konecranes, and the models were parameterized for the CTA‑TT and CTA‑AGV use cases. Validation against real‑world performance data confirmed the accuracy of the models. The simulation framework then allowed the exploration of various charging scenarios, including the number and power of charging points, and the impact on fleet availability.
Work package 4.2 extended the simulation to the charging process itself. Separate environment models were created for CTA‑TT, DCH‑TT, and CTA‑AGV, each incorporating the specific charging infrastructure and operational constraints of the respective terminals. A fleet‑level logistics simulation was also developed to assess the overall system performance under different charging schedules and vehicle allocations.
The project’s results provide a detailed, data‑driven basis for decision‑making regarding the electrification of terminal tractor fleets. By combining realistic duty cycles, battery performance data, and a validated vehicle model with a comprehensive TCO analysis, the study offers actionable insights into optimal fleet size, battery capacity, and charging infrastructure deployment. The collaboration among ika, the port operators, Konecranes, and other consortium partners ensured that the simulation environment was grounded in real operational data and that the recommendations are directly applicable to the terminals’ current and future needs.