Maritime Transport & VEV's UK eHGV Charging Infrastructure

VEV has delivered one of the UK’s largest heavy goods vehicle charging infrastructure deployments installing charging infrastructure to be used in Maritime Transport's electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) rollout. 

The company has installed 5 MW of high power capacity across three logistics hubs for Maritime Transport, which has now begun the deployment of its eHGVs in the UK. 

Presently, 19 Maritime Transport eHGVs have entered service, with a total of 56 vehicles being introduced across 13 transport depots and rail connected terminals during 2026.

McKinsey has previously argued that fleet decarbonisation makes compelling economic sense.

Infrastructure built by VEV

A total of 18 high powered DC chargers have been installed by VEV across depots in Wakefield, Tilbury and Doncaster, with individual unit capacities ranging from 100 kW to 400 kW. The system has been designed to support up to 36 electric trucks charging simultaneously.

VEV was responsible for the  design and delivery of the infrastructure, including site layout, power systems engineering, civil works, charger installation and integration with its smart charging and energy management platform.

The project is part of Maritime’s electric HGV rollout under its Maritime Zero division, an initiative designed to accelerate fleet electrification at scale and build a commercially viable pathway to zero emission freight.

Marcelo Soares, VP Customers and Partnerships at VEV, says: “Heavy freight is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise due to the scale of power required and the operational intensity of fleets. 

“Delivering 5 MW of charging capacity across live logistics depots shows that electric HGV infrastructure can now be deployed at a meaningful scale in the UK. This is not a pilot. It is real operational infrastructure.”

Maritime transports EV fleet

Once fully operational, a total of 56 electric HGVs will be powered by green electricity and are each expected to travel approximately 120,000 km per year.

The first phase commenced at Maritime’s transport depot in Wakefield where nine Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 vehicles arrived in January 2026. Maritime will bring in 18 eHGVs and charging points across Wakefield, Doncaster iPort and London Distribution Park in Tilbury.

The rollout expanded to the Midlands in March, with four Volvo Aero and six DAF XF eHGVs entering service at Birmingham Rail Freight Terminal through Electric Freightway. A further 18 vehicles will follow, led by Voltempo, a market leader in HGV EV fleet charging depots.

The rollout is part of the government backed Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

Tom Williams, Deputy CEO at Maritime Transport, says: “We’ve got big ambitions on electrification, and this is a massive step forward from the pilot phase into operational reality within our network. 

“The infrastructure now in place gives us the capacity and confidence to expand our electric fleet as part of our long term strategy to run the cleanest full load supply chain in the UK.”

EV fleet electrification

McKinsey has previously argued that fleet decarbonisation makes compelling economic sense, as well as obviously being good for the planet, citing BEVs total cost of ownership as well as incentives to companies that are offered by some governments. 

It also says that companies will need to overcome operational and strategic hurdles to make the switch. The infrastructure required to power eHGVs is a key hurdle.

Better access to the infrastructure needed to charge fleets is essential in the ongoing implementation of this technology. The programme pioneered by Maritime Transport and VEV forms part of a wider rollout of electrifying fleets: Barclays, AstraZeneca and Amazon have all begun similar processes.