Rizhao Port boosts efficiency with cutting-edge automation

The fully automated container terminal at Rizhao Port in Shandong province was bustling with activity on Wednesday, as driverless transport vehicles were shuttling containers across the dock.

"These vehicles are our newly tested smart guided vehicles, which use the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to calculate optimal routes in real time," said Xu Guannan, manager of the port's technology research and development department.

"Instead of performing a traditional parallel parking maneuver, they can approach this area by moving sideways like a crab — no need for complex alignment adjustments," he added.

During the past year, Rizhao Port has expanded its automation and smart capabilities. The port has explored new automated solutions for shoreline operations and retrofitted conventional quay cranes.

Thanks to these upgrades, the terminal's overall efficiency has risen 9.5 percent compared to a year ago.

Another achievement this month was the port's deployment of China's first domestically developed automated continuous grain unloader. The machine boasts an unloading capacity of 1,500 metric tons per hour, ranking among the most advanced in the world.