Stäubli Electrical Connectors, a leading global manufacturer of electrical connector solutions, has contracted with SSA Terminals, LLC, a joint venture with Matson Navigation Company, to provide automated charging connections for 33 terminal tractors at the Port of Long Beach, California. This project is one of the largest automated electric vehicle charging programs at active ports in the United States. SSA Terminals and Stäubli are also currently implementing five additional units with QCCs at the Port of Oakland.

The project with SSA Terminals is part of a $50 million grant the Port of Long Beach received from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) under the Zero and Near Zero Emission Freight Facility (ZANZEFF) program. ZANZEFF funds transformative emissions reduction strategies at freight facilities across the state and is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that leverages billions of cap-and-trade dollars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment - especially in disadvantaged communities.

For this project, 33 tractors used to transport shipping containers around the terminal site were equipped with an EV powertrain. SSA Terminals, the operator of the port terminal, selected Australian company Tritium to install 175 kW DC high power chargers to power the tractors and Stäubli to install its QCC solution for automatic fast charging.

Benefits for California and its ports

Stäubli's QCC system uses a closed pin and socket design that is self-cleaning and touch-protected on both sides of the plug and can easily correct misalignment. At the Port of Long Beach, the 33 QCC systems automatically connect Tritium's loading equipment to a connector on each terminal tractor, creating a safe, efficient loading system. Here are some highlights of this technology solution

• Touchless operation: All tractors can be charged simultaneously without manual intervention. The drivers simply drive into a charging station and the QCC moves out to connect the tractors during breaks or shift changes. This ensures maximum charging time and workload.
• Environmentally hardened: Each QCC is rated for more than one megawatt of power and features UL-certified components that resist contaminants that typically foul port equipment, such as salty air, high humidity, and rust and rubber in the air.
• Low/no maintenance: The QCC system is designed for up to 100,000 plugging cycles and requires little to no maintenance with an expected lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
• Better air quality: This project helps fulfill the emission reduction strategies of the Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles Joint Clean Air Action Plan, which aims to make terminal operations 100 percent emission-free by 2030.

"Stäubli is grateful to SSA Marine for the opportunity to connect the vehicle to the infrastructure and demonstrate innovative zero-emission technology that improves operational efficiency without polluting the air around us."
David Rababy - Sales Director E-Mobility North America.

This project with Stäubli is another step in SSA Terminals' journey to decarbonize its operations. It builds on the company's long history of innovation in testing and deploying new technologies to reduce emissions at its marine terminals.

about SSA Terminals / SSA Marine

SSA Terminals is a subsidiary of SSA Marine, one of the world's leading independent, privately owned marine terminal operators with operations in more than 250 terminal facilities and rail operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America and Asia. Since its founding in 1949, SSA Marine has continued to grow with its customers' best interests in mind.

About the Port of Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach is one of the world's premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a leader in goods movement and environmental stewardship. The port handles more than $200 billion in trade annually and provides 2.6 million trade-related jobs nationwide, including 575,000 in Southern California.