Contractors Hot Line is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
Contractors Hot Line is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
Liebherr and Fortescue have announced a partnership to develop and validate a fully integrated Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS). This collaboration marks a significant expansion of the existing partnership between the two companies, which began in June 2022 with the goal of building a zero-emission haulage solution using Liebherr’s OEM experience and Fortescue’s fuel cell battery and battery-electric technology.
The validation of a fleet of four T 264 autonomous trucks, along with the AHS, is currently underway at a purpose-built facility at Fortescue’s Christmas Creek mine site in Western Australia. This stage of validation started in August 2023. The AHS ecosystem will include the development and validation of a Fleet Management System and Machine Guidance Solution. These systems will also be capable of independent operation on human-operated sites.
The AHS will be integrated with the zero-emission haul trucks currently being co-developed by Liebherr and Fortescue, aiming to be the first AHS operating zero-emissions vehicles globally.
“With our teams now fully integrated, Liebherr is excited to formally announce our partnership with Fortescue to collectively develop and deploy our Autonomous Haulage Solution,” says Oliver Weiss, executive vice President, R&D, engineering and production, Liebherr Mining. “Liebherr has always prioritized market-led product development and we are privileged to be partnering with Fortescue. Our collaborative efforts will be beneficial for not only Fortescue, but all customers who choose to implement Liebherr technology products on their sites.”
The Autonomous Haulage Solution, including the Fleet Management System and Machine Guidance Solution, will be deployed across Fortescue mine sites upon completion of system validation. Additionally, these innovative technologies will be made available to customers worldwide as part of Liebherr’s expanding technology portfolio, furthering their strategy to become a total solution provider for the mining industry.
“Our deep expertise in autonomous haulage that has come from operating over 200 diesel autonomous haul trucks across our mine sites, has enabled Fortescue and Liebherr to develop a Fleet Management System that uniquely targets efficiency and unlocks untapped capacity in our fleet,” said Dino Otranto, Fortescue Metals chief executive officer. “The partnership with Liebherr has enabled us to jointly develop the Fleet Management Systems, which provide us with an OEM agnostic solution that can be integrated with any autonomous platform including trucks, drills, watercarts or any other heavy mining equipment. This critical technology puts our business in full control of our development priorities and roadmap.”