ABU DHABI, UAE, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As container terminals across the Middle East move toward increasingly autonomous operations, the ability to maintain vehicle localization without satellite positioning is becoming an important consideration.
In March 2026, Westwell, an AI-driven intelligent logistics solutions provider, achieved normal autonomous operations under Zero-GNSS conditions across its fleet at CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal (CSP ADT) at Khalifa Port, marking a further step in the development of smart autonomous container handling in the region.
The milestone builds on Westwell's automation program operations at CSP ADT. Today, Westwell's fleet consists of 12 Q-Trucks and six Q-Chassis (IGV), while the terminal has continued to expand its autonomous capabilities.
The Zero-GNSS capability represents a further step in autonomous container handling. Rather than relying on satellite positioning throughout operations, Westwell's autonomous vehicles can maintain localization and navigation using onboard sensing and positioning technologies. The capability has been demonstrated in live terminal workflows involving quay crane and yard marshalling operations.
This resilience is relevant to the operating conditions faced by autonomous equipment in the Middle East. Large outdoor terminal environments, combined with high temperatures, sandstorms and other environmental factors, place additional demands on autonomous vehicles operating continuously across the terminal.
At CSP ADT, the GNSS-independent operation combines LiDAR, odometry and inertial measurement unit (IMU) data to maintain vehicle localization and navigation without GNSS input. The multi-sensor approach allows autonomous vehicles to continue normal terminal workflows without relying on satellite positioning.
CSP ADT began working with Westwell on automation in 2019, rolling out its intelligent quay crane tally system. In 2021, it deployed Westwell's Q-Truck, making it the first port in the Middle East to deploy autonomous container trucks. In 2025, CSP ADT added six Q-Chassis IGVs, marking the region's first IGV deployment project. Together, these technologies integrate container recognition, quay-side operations and autonomous horizontal transport.
The sustained operation of the autonomous fleet, combined with the expansion of automated equipment and the demonstration of GNSS-independent driving, reflects CSP ADT's continued progression toward more intelligent autonomous container handling at Khalifa Port.
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