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Model workers pillars of national rejuvenation Three large container ships, by chance, gave Qingdao Port in east China's Shandong Province a test on March 26, 2004 -- MSC LORETTA, OOCL Japan and CSCL HAMBURG docked at the Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal at the same time, and the pressing task was that they had to be loaded and unload in the night and would set sail the next morning.
Through a night's hard work, they completed loading and unloading of three large ships. Upon sailing, the Italian captain of the world largest container ship "MSC LORETTA" exclaimed with admiration, "It is inconceivable to complete loading and unloading in ten hours! I have been to many big European ports, but I think this is the best one."
Xu Zhenchao watched the three ships leave the terminal one after another. On Nov. 14, 1897, German navy landed on Qingdao Zhanqiao Bridge and German government rented by force Qingdao port as military port. Today after over one hundred years, Qingdao Port has become an international large port with annual cargo throughput breaking through 100,000,000 tons while Xu Zhenchao has grown from a common worker into a top bridge crane expert admired by world shipping industry.
The life of Xu Zhenchao is combined with spring of Qingdao Port and linked by flesh-and-blood ties with great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
"Learn All the Unknowns, Never Lose Heart"
Xu Zhenchao was born of a poor worker family on Jan. 8, 1950. The Great Cultural Revolution swept off his dream of study, so he discontinued his study only after one and a half years' junior high school study and became a worker in 1968. In 1974, He was employed at Qingdao Port and acted as a worker of terminal.
With the spring tide of reform and opening washing against whole China, China opened door to the outside world and foreign trade experienced a rapid development. The coastal ports have become bridges of our country to develop foreign trade, which allow land cargo to be loaded into ship and floated down sea. With the emerging container transport in the world displaying its skill in marine transportation, in 1984 Qingdao Port grasped the chance and decided to exploit a new terminal in barren waste and build a base for loading and unloading containers. Xu Zhenchao was selected as one of the first group of bridge crane drivers in Container Company.
Xu Zhenchao was puzzled when first dabbling in bridge crane: a drawing of portal hoist is very difficult for him, let alone a book of bridge crane drawing with over 100 pages in English!
Other drivers persuaded him: "It is ok for us to learn to operate the bridge cranes and leaders don't require us to understand drawing." But Xu Zhenchao retorted, "Since we are first group drivers selected by company and will teach others in the future, it is necessary for us to understand drawings. Learn that, don't lose heart."
He learned English from graduates in the team, but he would forget a word just after reciting it. The company dispatched him to learn driving skill in Shanghai, so he instantly bought an English-Chinese Dictionary. He copied English words on a book and took this book with himself everywhere so as to repeatedly recite words at his leisure. Three months later, he learned how to operate bridge crane and understood drawing, then he returned to Qingdao Port. After the bridge crane made in Shanghai arrived, Xu Zhenchao came to site to see the manufacturer how to install it, but he became more and more angry: The lubricant cannot be injected into lubricate hole just because the hole is not penetrated! He was furious. Where the pillar of Chinese industrial workers has gone? How worse the quality is!
In 1986, Qingdao Port saw the first bridge crane finally stand on terminal and Xu Zhenchao became a bridge crane driver. Once he had time off, he would hold a book or drawing in both hands to study intensively and learned until midnight every day. He gradually mastered feature of bridge crane and had it under his perfect control.
In 1989, Xu Zhenchao won the title of Best Bridge Crane Driver of company. Qingdao Port loads and unloads container starting from zero to 100,000 TEU.
"I Swear to Overcome Difficulty"
At the beginning of 1990s, China struggled to explore on the road leading to market economy while the old state-owned enterprise Qingdao Port faced ordeal. Because of low production, the employees had low income and faced laid off crisis. At that time, the salary of Xu Zhenchao was just RMB240 and his family of three members lived in a small house of 14 square meters.
Qingdao Port held first meeting concerning science and technology on Feb. 16, 1990. Chang Dechuan, Director of Qingdao Port Bureau, promised at the meeting: " Never let one worker come off! Build Qingdao Port into a rich soil for workers to contribute and start their careers. We will employ every suitable person."
Under pressure, Xu Zhenchao is full of vigor, he wrote in diary, " I will link my life and development with company's existence and growth in order to act as a real host of the terminal."
Qingdao Port adopted direct current speed governing system imported from Sweden as core of bridge crane so as to upgrade it and increase efficiency of loading and unloading. Once, bridge crane suddenly broke down, but Chinese couldn't repair it. Foreign expert obtained RMB43,000 in twelve days for repairing it, which was equal to Xu Zhenchao's salary of ten years at that time! So, he was hurt, he told his wife that, " I swear to tackle the difficult problem."
From then on, he buried himself in tackling key problems. The circuit board is as small as a book and there are over 2000 welding spots distributing on front and back sides while circuit is as thin as hair which is partly hidden and partly visible. So, he had to put circuit board on glass and install 100W bulb under it. Strong light forced the hidden circuit to appear, so he hurried to draw it stroke by stroke. When disassembling circuit board, he connected electric iron to a source of electricity and burned the soldering tin on board at suitable temperature. He was very careful, because an imprecise spot would ruin a circuit board worth RMB several ten thousand. He lost skin on hand and nose caused by electric iron.
At the end of 1991, a foreign ship planned to load over 100 containers with European cargoes for Christmas Day on Qingdao Port. Suddenly, a bridge crane was out of work, but Xu Zhenchao and others couldn't repair it, so they finally failed to load cargoes on ship. The captain got angry and shouted at them.
He told his wife when going back home, " It is the most shameful thing in my life." He tackled key problems forgetting food and sleep and finally understood circuit board after six months and worked out the drawing.
Because the management of bridge crane team was disordered, the former leader team was dismissed and replaced while new team leader recommended Xu Zhenchao as assistant team leader. Facing challenge, he straightened his back and arrived at terminal at about 5 o'clock every morning in all weathers. In Oct. 1992, he held the post of team leader of bridge crane team.
Qingdao Port upgraded bridge crane again while the new one had electric system of American General Electric Company and the circuit board upgraded to numerical control system. So, Xu Zhenchao found a book named The Basic of Numerical and Electrical Control of Tsinghua University and started to learn from basic knowledge. He took circuit board with him and read it at his leisure.
Up to 1995, he had been familiar with circuit boards of all bridge cranes in his team and worked out two thick books of circuit drawings that became technical manual for bridge cranes of his team. What the drivers were unknown was that this set of drawings is worked out by team leader himself and second to none in whole country.
Gradually, "Master Xu" distinguished himself and all failures that couldn't be cleared by others would depart at touch of his hands.
"Workers Should Fit to Post"
In the middle of 1990s, Qingdao Port continuously carried out reformation of state-owned enterprise and practiced "Bottom Elimination System" to employees. As a team leader, Xu Zhenchao was anxious. So, he taught team members his "Unique Skill" such as "Precise Hook", "Operate Without Noise". As to some members who didn't want to learn or practice skill, he sincerely persuaded that, "We workers should straighten our backs and fit to post." He regulated as following: go to work in a line, don't wear clothes with oil stain, button clothes neatly and straighten back when walking.
On the 5th day of the first month of lunar year 1995, Xu Zhenchao took the chance of holiday to arrange five maintainers to clean bridge crane. The five workers arched in bridge crane with oil stain all over their body and worked till 12 o'clock in midnight then went to have a meal. When inspecting the post, the company found it is vacant. The next day, leader ordered to punish the five absent employees, but Xu Zhenchao disagreed anyway. He said, "How can you endure to see employees get oil stain all over body for work in Spring Festival holiday? Or, punish me!" So, the leader called 7 members of leader team to collectively criticize him for indulging employees to violate rules and regulations. But Xu Zhenchao absolutely refused to acknowledge his mistake and stroke the table, said, "I arranged the employees, so if the penalty for each employee is RMB500, I will bear RMB2500." He felt oppressed, so got a serious illness.
One day in Dec. 1999, bridge crane team met with an accident, so leader ordered to punish driver on duty. Xu Zhenchao disagreed. He sent for several technicians at the same night to measure and analyze it, to find cause and found that the driver really had no fault. After finding the leader, he argued heartedly and so angry to strike table. The next day, the company sent down transfer order and Xu Zhenchao was transferred to security department. He became older immediately with blood vessel blockage and inconvenient action, the doctor diagnosed it as blood vessel blockage. He was ill abed and received suspension bowl for infusion for over a month. After a period of time, new leader came into office and invited Xu Zhenchao to act as team leader of bridge crane team.
He became a pillar of bridge crane team, all members called him "Our Team Leader Xu". Gradually, people found the every docker is not a dirty and disorder "Coolies" but in high spirit and walk with straight back.
Qingdao Port strides forward by cleaving through the waves. Enterprise's benefit increased a lot, so did the employees' income. The salary of Xu Zhenchao increased to over RMB3000 a month. During the period, he bought a house with three bedrooms and a dining room.
"I shall overcome any difficulty, no matter how tough it is."
After Breaking through the predicament, Port of Qingdao targeted the international rival. On August 15, 2000, Director Mr. Chang Dechuan announced at the conference that: "Develop and build the front bay of Huang Island to become the best container terminal in the world form barren beach at present, and fight for relative superiority with the international port of Korea and Japan, which lie at the same latitude."
In 2001, MingGang Company was established at Port of Qingdao. Only the young men with educational level can enter into the new company, which made Xu Zhenchao depressed, feeling that he would be fallen out. The new company transferred him to take charge of the security management for installation of hanging bridge. On Nov. 8, he came to the Huang Island, what before his eyes was desolate scene and he felt cold with the chill wind. It is a barren island without the place for meal and to get accommodation, where there is even no place for drinking. He got the drawing and discovered some inaccuracy of installation size on it. He immediately informed the field personnel, "This is not your business" was the only feedback he got, and nobody paid attention to him. Seeing no progression with the installation, he felt anxious and urgent from bottom of his heart.
On Nov. 23, Chang Dechuan asked to interview Xu Zhenchao by mentioning his name when Xu anxiously moved from side to side on the construction site as usual. On the spot meeting, Chang Dechuan walked around the building site with black in his face, "There is no progression with the construction as such long time has passed. How can the company be set up on schedule?" He said to all the chiefs on site, "It is the first time I take charge of engineering all by myself. The former general director is deposed on the spot and I appointed Xu Zhenzhao as the general director of building site!"
Standing there stiffly, Xu Zhenchao felt blank in his mind, "Director shouldn't played a joke on me. How can I command the personnel who used to command me? Is it possible to install the hanging bridge within 37 days, which should be complete within 3 months on schedule?"
Leader patted his shoulder and said "Xu, it is a tough task to you, try your best!" His friends watched him apprehensively, "Xu, it is not easy to complete."
At noontime, Xu Zhenchao had no appetite for meal. Watching the mess-up building site and viewing the endless sea, he made up his mind gradually, "Now that I am appointed by director, I have no leeway. I shall overcome any difficulty, no matter how tough it is!" Workers crowded around him and said "Header Xu, we are willing to follow you!"
He put a container on the building site as his office as well as his bedroom. He devoted himself into the data of hanging bridge installation all through the night. Then he made a decision to cancel the original plan of one-by-one installing and change to assembling large parts on the ground in order to finish abutment of large parts in the air. 1,000t large barge crane was required in the new plan, which was used for lifting large parts. He found one barge crane with big effort. However, he was disappointed after the data being sent to him: The height difference between the barge crane and the required is 1 meter! A bright idea occurred to his mind, he took advantage of the increased height of sea level when the tide rose to make up the height deficiency of the barge crane.
Everything was ready except the flood tide. Tidewater was coming at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 30. However, the ground supporting machines delayed to be well prepared. When the machines were ready to work, the tidewater began to ebb. Xu Zhenchao didn't give up the idea and slung up assembly parts by barge crane. It failed with 5cm difference.
At night, Xu Zhenhui paced up and down the building site feeling grieved and indignant inside. Nobody followed his command even knowing he was the general director. Such things didn't occur one time. Someone said privately "How long can you be the temporary director as a worker?"
Xu Zhenchao had a fever with blisters in and out his mouth. There was only one day left from the time limit for the project. This old worker bent his straight back. "I beg all of you."
At 1:30 p.m. on Dec.31, 2001, all the abutment preparation was made on the building site. Tidewater was rising at a little past 4:00 p.m. Barge crane slung up the assembly parts, supported by the rising tidewater. At 6:30 in the evening, the successful abutment of assembly parts was finished at the height of 50 meters! The building site was full of excitement.
Xu Zhenchao, the steel-willed man wept and the tears soaked his deep wrinkle and dropped on the hometown soil under his foot. Leaving home for 40 days, he was extremely homesick. His dry throat seemed to be smoky. He found a bed to lie down after a careless meal. Suffering the high fever at the very night, he was still concerned about the newly installed hanging bridge.
The next day was New Year's Day. He did not have breakfast and went to building site again reelingly. Since hanging bridge still needed debugging, he arranged special chief for it and then went home. As soon as he entered the house, he tumbled on the bed and lay down for two days.
At the end of year 2001, Port of Qingdao realized its century dream to break cargo-handling capacity of 100 million tons and strode into the rank of international large ports.
On Feb. 10, 2002, just the day before Spring Festival, MingGang Company put into production formally, which can load and unload the world biggest container vessel. Chief Representative (China) of P&O Group, the biggest shipping company in British as well as the joint-venture partner of Port of Qingdao, Gao Jinhua said "It cost Chinese workers two years to build up worldwide high-class terminal, which is impossible in British even in 10 years."
"We workers are the pillar of terminal"
When the new company opened, the leader said to Xu Zhenchao with smile "Stay here! You rendered outstanding contribution to the project. Job selection depends on you." He felt exited, "Let me establish the bridge crane team." Then the company assigned him to establish bridge crane team as well as production safety and assembly of new bridge crane. He was responsible for the three jobs, tired but happy.
What the newly running terminal confronted was the fierce market competition. USD30, 000 shall be paid to the cargo owner if one medium-sized container vessel is detained in the port for one day. Ships will be often detained in the port if the terminal efficiency is low. In that way, there will be no ship come to stop and the newly built terminal will be useless.
Chang Chuande requested Xu Zhenchao to ensure to complete handling operation for ships within 10 hours at the worldwide first-class terminal in accordance with worldwide first-class handling standard.
Most drivers in the bridge crane team were unskilled new comers. Xu Zhenchao said to them, "We live on this job, so we should exert the utmost strength to create world brand." Coming off work, he kept on writing and writing until late at night. Several days later, he put the manual of bridge crane in the front of everybody. All drivers of the team began to study and train hard, and they finished apprenticeship within half a year one after another. This manual filled the domestic blank and became the teaching materials for some universities and colleges.
He and his team members worked against the time from every operating course. It is written in the direction that it takes 5 seconds to reach the highest speed per hour when the bridge crane starts. But Xu Zhenchao put forward that 3.5 seconds was enough after calculation. Some of the drivers did not approve and questioned "Does that really matter to squeeze out 1.5 seconds?" However, Xu Zhenchao said: "if there are 1,000 containers, 25 minutes will be saved in that way."
In November 2002, the Communist Party of China successfully convened the 16th National Congress, called on setting up a Well-off-in-all-rounds Society and achieved great revival of our Chinese nation. After hearing that, Xu Zhenchao could not help feeling excited, and said in the meeting of Bridge Crane Team: "This is the dream of the workers of our generation! We have the unshirkable responsibility to catch up with and surpass the world level! " Qingdao Port deepened the reform and strode forward, transferring into Qingdao (Group) Co., Ltd. on Sep. 1, 2003, and thoroughly hiving off the government departments to survive in the market sea.
At the night of Apr. 27, 2003, the international large ship "MSC FLAMINIA" pulled in the port, and 3400 containers needed handling. Xu Zhenchao encouraged and cheered up all the people that: "our workers are the pillar of the terminal, so we must work hard and make a good showing for our Chinese." Then, 8 bridge cranes lined up in a row, lifted up 8 containers, and laid down all of the eight containers gently all most at the same time. Though 6 hours and 27 minutes' hard-fought work, the bridge crane team created the world record for single ship handling efficiency at 339 natural containers. Xu Zhenchao embraced with his teammates excitedly: "we have won great honor for our Chinese people!"
On Sep. 30, 2003, during the operation of unloading "MSC ALESSIA", the bridge crane team renovated the world record with single ship handling efficient at 381 natural containers per hour again.
Mediterranean Shipping Company SA, which affiliated "MSC ALESSIA", specially wrote an acknowledgement to the Qingdao Port: "your efficiency is totally unimaginable. We will recommend your efficiency to other shippers and ship company." Xu Zhenchao made a copy of the letter, put it in his office, and took out it
Qingdao Port bridled towards the world. Many famous international shipping companies yearned for it one after another. Top 20 shipping companies in the world all had inaugurated sea routes in Qingdao. In 2003, Qingdao had finished the throughput of 4,240,000 TEUs, which made it the hub port in Northeast Asia Area. China exceeded America in terms of container throughput and ranked first in the world.
In December 2003, Xu Zhenchao was shocked by the reform tide for the second time. MingGang Container Company, P&O Group, Sweden Maersk, China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company formed a joint venture. Xu Zhenchao thought the company would not employ him for his age as well as no educational background.
To his surprise, in February 2004, the joint venture invited him as the manager of technical department, which meant he should take charge of not only the bridge crane team, but also the large-sized machinery equipment and technique members. He was in charge of all large mechanical equipment and technicians, including more than 40 engineers. According to the international convention, only a senior professional engineer could take this position. After being nominated, he felt the pressure in his heart. He was already 54 years old and there were some machines that he never met before. Could he mange them all?
At near 12:00pm on Apr. 1, Xu Zhenchao found out the materials about Cummins Engine at the Cummins web site at last after searching online through the night. He walked out of the office. Facing the coming gentle sea breeze and the light bright Qingdao Port, he felt refreshed. Ten years ago, there were only the desolate sands. Without any economic support from the state, merely depending on the hard work of 16,000 workers, a modern port was set up. All these, melt with his whole life's sweat and toil, brought him infinite pride. He talked to himself: "whatever happens, I will be a good manager".
Chang Dechuan, the president of Qingdao Port Group Co., Ltd. said: "Xu is a long-tested person, with great responsibility. I believe that he is competent for this position."
Gao Jinhua, the Chief Representative of Britain party said: "I admire the one who constantly strive to become stronger. Whoever holds the high quality employee team will win the competition." |
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