Rocsys and ITS deploy hands-free charging at the Port of Long Beach

Rocsys has partnered with International Transportation Service (ITS) at the Port of Long Beach, California. The partnership integrates a Rocsys hands-free connection device with a Taylor Machine Works (Taylor) electric, human-operated, container handler operating in active terminal conditions, enabling hands-free opportunity charging.

As port terminals electrify equipment to meet long-term zero-emissions targets, charging has emerged as a key operational bottleneck. Traditional workflows remain costly to operate, error-prone, a hassle to manage and pose safety concerns. This introduces queue formation, missed charging windows, and underutilized chargers into environments defined by tight turn times and high throughput. Such inefficiencies compound at scale and could limit how quickly zero-emission operations can expand.

The deployment brings Rocsys, ITS, and Taylor together to demonstrate how hands-free charging can remove operational bottlenecks by reducing friction, improving safety conditions for on-site personnel, and enabling consistent, high-duty zero-emission workflows in real port conditions.

At the center of the deployment is a Taylor ZLC-996 electric, human-operated container handler equipped with the Rocsys Smart Cover, which opens and closes based on charging signals exchanged with the Rocsys hands-free connection device. Taylor Machine Works served as the original equipment manufacturer and system integrator for the electric container handler platform. This configuration supports repeatable opportunity charging cycles in an active terminal environment and forms a core element of the Rocsys Platform. The Platform combines advanced hardware, intelligent software, and a service ecosystem that combines the Rocsys Portal for operational visibility, APIs for integration with customer IT systems and centralized monitoring with expert field support. Designed for straightforward integration and scalability, it allows ports to expand electric fleets without compromising operational efficiency as emission-free operations scale.

Polly Crispin, Senior Business Development Manager at Rocsys, said: “This deployment is an important step to demonstrate that hands-free charging is a critical enabler for ports seeking to meet long-term zero-emission operations. Working with ITS and Taylor allows us to show how hands-free charging performs under real-world conditions, reducing downtime, improving operational efficiency and supporting the transition toward safer and zero emission terminal operations.”

Halfdan Ross, Chief Project Officer at ITS, added: “At ITS we’re always looking to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability within our operations. Rocsys’ hands-free charging solution is an enabler for integrating human-operated electric handling equipment into our terminal workflows, and we’re excited to continue this partnership as we move forward.”

David Gully, West Coast Regional Sales Manager from Taylor Machine Works commented: “This collaboration demonstrates how Taylor’s electric container handlers can be integrated with emerging charging technologies while continuing to operate in real-world, human-operated terminal environments. As ports explore electrification, it’s critical that new technologies work within existing workflows. We’re proud to support customers like ITS and technology providers like Rocsys by engineering practical, durable electric equipment that can adapt as charging infrastructure evolves.”