Qingdao Port Smart Production Full Scene to New

The gantry crane precisely lifts and lowers under remote control, automated quay cranes orderly grab containers, and the AI system quickly generates ship berthing plans... Nowadays, at Qingdao Port in Shandong, intelligent elements have permeated every aspect of production operations.

From upgrading traditional terminals to automation, to tackling independent technology challenges at automated container terminals, and finally to the full-scale application of artificial intelligence, Qingdao Port has comprehensively advanced the construction of a smart port in recent years, helping reduce costs, improve quality, and enhance efficiency. In the first seven months of this year, Qingdao Port achieved a cargo throughput of 448 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.2%.

Smart Transformation of Traditional Terminals

Entering Qingdao Port's fully automated container terminal, intelligent production presents a spectacular "movie scene"—giant ships docking and departing, quay cranes lifting and lowering, and hundreds of large automated devices methodically performing automatic loading, unloading, and transferring.

This "unmanned terminal" has undergone three phases of independent iterative development since its inception in 2013. The first and second phases successively implemented multiple globally pioneering technologies; the third phase, launched in 2023, achieved comprehensive domestic advancements, helping the terminal break the world record for loading and unloading efficiency for the 13th time.

This robust capability comes from two core systems independently developed by Qingdao Port's "LianGang Innovation Team"—A-TOS (Terminal Intelligent Management and Control System) and A-ECS (Equipment Intelligent Control System). With millisecond-level response computing power, the systems support efficient terminal operations, keeping operational efficiency at the forefront globally.

Today, the A-TOS system has been implemented beyond Qingdao Port, finding application at Rizhao Port, effectively enhancing port operational quality and efficiency. Addressing the operational characteristics of different cargo types, Qingdao Port has also iteratively launched iGTOS (Intelligent General Bulk Cargo Terminal Production Operating System), continuously strengthening its technological innovation foundation.

At the dry bulk cargo terminal, gantry crane operators in remote control rooms can precisely lift and lower cranes hundreds of meters away with a simple joystick movement, allowing one person to simultaneously manage two devices for loading and unloading operations.

Relying on the infrastructure of traditional terminals, Qingdao Port has promoted the full-process automation transformation of dry bulk cargo terminals, achieving automated upgrades for general cargo terminals and unmanned construction for oil terminals, thereby building intelligent production systems for four major cargo types: containers, dry bulk cargo, general cargo, and liquid bulk cargo.

Smart transformations have boosted business growth. The railway loading efficiency of Qingdao Port's Qianwan Company continues to improve, with a record high of 2,039 cars loaded in a single day and night; from January to July, the "Qingdao-Xinjiang" pulp sea-rail intermodal "end-to-end" train shipment volume increased by 24% year-on-year, setting a historical record.

AI Empowering a "New Ecosystem"

At Qingdao Port, the generation of ship berthing plans has shifted from hourly to minute-level; high-risk positions are gradually being taken over by robots, and frontline workers are transitioning to "golden blue-collar" roles; the "Ark TaaS" platform can output a complete multimodal transport solution for customers in just over ten seconds... The deep application of AI technology has opened up new development opportunities for the port.

As one of the first national AI application pilot bases and the only one in the port industry, Qingdao Port has advanced the full-chain implementation of "AI+Port" from concept to deep practice. Qingdao Port has collaborated with multiple national laboratories and port and shipping units to build a collaborative ecosystem for production, academia, research, and application; established a full-stack domestic heterogeneous computing platform; developed 28 high-quality datasets, earning recognition as a pilot unit for high-quality dataset construction by the National Data Bureau; iteratively developed the "StarPort" large model and 19 port intelligent systems, deployed over 20 types of operational robots, and integrated AI into safety management, port and shipping services, and other processes.