DP World Electrifies Terminal Fleet at Brazil's Port of Santos

According to Electrek, DP World is advancing clean freight handling at one of Latin America’s busiest container ports by electrifying its fleet at the Port of Santos in Brazil. The company is introducing 15 battery-electric terminal trucks alongside three electric reach stackers to its Santos operations.

Expanding Terminal Capacity and Fleet Infrastructure

The addition of these electric heavy-duty vehicles forms part of DP World’s 1.6 billion Real (BRL) expansion at its Santos terminal. Electrek reports that this expansion aims to allow the company to handle over 2 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) annually by the year 2028.

This initial equipment deployment represents the first phase of a larger modernization initiative by DP World. Future plans include adding more zero-emission machinery to the site. Before the end of 2027, the company is scheduled to deliver a total of:

• 44 electric terminal tractors
• 3 electric reach stackers
• 4 new electric quay cranes
• 15 40-ton class rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTGs)

Fabio Siccherino, CEO of DP World Brazil, emphasized the operational goals of the investment. "We continue to invest in infrastructure and equipment that enables us to deliver greater capacity, reliability, efficiency and sustainability for our customers," Siccherino stated. "These new electric vehicles strengthen our operations today while supporting increasing trade volumes and the long-term growth of Brazil's trade."

Equipment Details and Performance Benchmarks

Electrek noted that while DP World’s press release did not reveal the specific brand of terminal tractors chosen for the Santos facility, DP World maintains an established relationship with Dutch terminal truck manufacturer Terberg. Terberg has previously supplied 20 Terberg YT203-EV yard hostlers to DP World’s Callao terminal in Peru, as well as a few dozen units to its London Gateway site.

The Terberg YT203-EV model utilizes a 236 kWh capacity battery pack. At the Callao terminal, this setup supports up to 20 hours of daily operation and averages nearly 12 hours of operation on a single charge.

Emissions and Fuel Reductions

Modernization efforts at the Santos port are already showing quantifiable environmental and operational impacts. Between January and April of 2026, diesel consumption dropped by 29.2% compared to the 2024 average. Furthermore, Electrek reports that the operational shift is expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 500 tons, demonstrating both the sustainability and financial gains of port electrification.