Port of Liverpool to automate its gate

The Port of Liverpool, operated by Peel Ports, is to install Kalmar’s automated gate system, which it hopes will reduce waiting times and administration for hauliers and produce faster turnarounds. The implementation is scheduled for completion by early next year.

Investment in the SmartLane system is part of a £5.5m package of improvements to port infrastructure. With the £300m deep-water Liverpool2 expansion due to open next year, the automated gate system will strengthen the port-side logistics required to support increased cargo volumes.

The system uses identification technologies to manage gate operations for trucks, ensuring that all containers and trucks are automatically identified before entering or exiting the terminal. The optical character recognition (OCR) cameras, provided by Kalmar’s partner APS Technology, capture the truck registration and container IDs.