Economic Impact Analysis of Autonomous Containerised Freight

Advanced robotics is a disruptive technology that has the potential to create massive economic impact. One application of advanced robotics is the automation of cargo ports, with the intention of increasing profitability for cargo terminals by reducing costs and increasing container handling productivity.

Autonomous straddle carrier technology can not only significantly improve freight capacity but can also enhance the safety of operations, reducing the potential for manual errors by isolating the workforce from heavy machinery. Our findings suggest a net present value (NPV) of autonomous straddle carrier technology in direct impact worth for NSW of around $9.42 to $10 billion between the years 2014 and 2030.

In this report we present only the final application of a long term process of university R&D effort, i.e. cost benefit analysis was not undertaken in this report as innovation studies show that any innovation outcome cannot capture the full benefit to the economy, therefore the costs are normally high and in most cases create no tangible benefit but creates intangibles like knowledge is not easy to be quantified