The start-up company will soon begin building a prototype of
its Sustainable Electric Freight-Forwarder (SELF) autonomous container
transport system in the port.
This technology aims help Sagunto decarbonise and automate
container movements between terminals.
The PAV’s Board of Directors (BoD) approved the concession
of land on 11 February 2022.
The system consists of vehicles guided by rails and
propelled by a 100 percent electric linear motor, this can also be operated in
a fully automated way.
The Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales
y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT) also played a large hand in developing the motor.
Additionally, the prototype will make use of a 100-metre
shuttle which will be subjected to several missions to validate the
functionality of the overall system.
The Port of Sagunto will provide an ideal location for the
mock version as it can bring the technology as close as possible to the final
application environment.
“Hyperloop technologies are also applicable to other
sectors, such as the port sector, and with this pioneering pilot we will
demonstrate and optimise the SELF system, accelerating the path towards its
commercialisation that will allow its implementation in ports all over the
world,” said David Pistoni, Co-Founder and CEO of ZELEROS.
Aurelio Martínez, President of the PAV, added: “The
concession of this space to the Valencian start-up ZELEROS reaffirms
Valenciaport’s commitment to innovation.
“Ports are spaces of innovation that host innovative
experiences; this is how progress is made towards increasingly sustainable,
efficient and safe operations. And of course, with this project, the Port of
Sagunto is sending out a clear message of identifying itself as an industrial
and innovative enclave of reference in the Mediterranean for future
generations.”
The project is supported by the European Eureka-Eurostars
programme and is co-founded by the Centre for the Development of Industrial
Technology (CDTI) and the Polish National Research and Development Centre
(NBCR).
Therefore, the ZELEROS system is aligned with the EU
Sustainable Development Goals, paving the way towards a low-carbon future.
In other recent news, Valenciaport has reaffirmed its place
as one of Europe’s biggest ports, handling 5,604,478 TEU in 2021.
These figures demonstrate an increase of 3.25 per cent
compared to the port’s performance in 2020 and sees it surpass the yearly
results from the Port of Piraeus in Greece, cementing its position as the
fourth busiest port in Europe.