Driverless cargo carriers to come to the Port of Los Angeles despite union opposition

Maersk has announced it will move ahead with introducing driverless cargo carriers at the Port of Los Angeles despite opposition from dockworkers, the Los Angeles Times has reported.

The Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners voted three to two to approve a permit for Maersk’s subsidiary APM Terminals (APMT) to introduce driverless electric cargo handlers inside its Pier 400 facility.

In a letter to the Los Angeles mayor Maersk said that APMT “has the undisputed right under its lease and its collective bargaining agreement to introduce automated technology of this sort and does not require any permit or any other port, city or state approval”.