Recently, at the dry bulk terminal of Qingdao Port (referred to as “Qingdao Port”), driver Liu Junhao sat in the remote control room, skillfully manipulating the joysticks of two gantry cranes, with the arms on the screen moving in real time. Hundreds of meters away, the "Golden Sky" vessel was being loaded and unloaded with 122,000 tons of iron ore—marking Qingdao Port’s first achievement in fully automated operations using "one control for two" gantry cranes. Liu, who has worked in port operations for many years, reflected on the transformation of terminal operations: "In the past, I had to lean forward 45 degrees in the control room, but now one person can manage two devices; technology has transformed 'hard labor' into 'technical work'." As the world’s fourth largest port and China’s second-largest foreign trade port, Qingdao Port has leveraged the advantages of the integrated reform of Shandong Port this year, making continuous breakthroughs in smart port construction, global logistics network development, and integrated port-city industry growth.
Transition to "Full Chain Coverage" in Smart Building Amid the global trend toward automation in the port industry, Qingdao Port is accelerating the cultivation of new productive forces, transitioning its smart port development from "point breakthroughs" to "full chain coverage." At Qingdao Port, automated container terminals feature driverless trucks and orderly running automated rail cranes, while the domestically produced and independently designed A-TOS system accurately commands remote-controlled cranes, automated rail cranes, and AGVs (automated guided vehicles) to work together. The general cargo terminal has pioneered a fully automated operation model for pulp, with IGVs arriving smoothly at unloading areas as per preset instructions and automatically positioned to convey the pulp under the gantry cranes. The dry bulk terminal has completed the automation transformation of ten types of equipment, achieving full area and full process automation. The liquid bulk terminal has tackled key technologies for automatic docking of oil arms and developed robot inspection and large vessel mooring precision location assistance systems. The international roll-on/roll-off terminal has innovatively applied the "autonomous vehicle + robotic arm" AI collaborative operation system, driving fully automated loading and unloading processes for roll-on/roll-off containers.
"The most intuitive manifestation of intelligence is the comprehensive transformation in terminal operations, labor intensity, and production efficiency," said Liu Changhui, deputy director of the Safety and Environmental Technology Department at Qingdao Port. This year, Qingdao Port has continued to deepen its focus on the “artificial intelligence + port” sector, advancing data governance, and has developed innovative results including the Ark Taas large model, high-voltage shore power self-driving robots, and a large-scale port multi-factor scheduling intelligent agent. On September 9, the construction of the national artificial intelligence application pilot base in the transportation sector was launched, with an innovative public service platform for AI led by Qingdao Port officially established. On September 17, Qingdao Port won two awards at the first "AI Navigation Cup" National "AI+" application and skill competition, showcasing its technological strength and innovative vitality in the smart port domain. Data shows that the average single-machine operating efficiency of bridge cranes at the automated container terminal at Qingdao Port has reached 62.62 natural boxes per hour, setting a new world record and providing a "China solution" for global port automation development.
Tightening Global Logistics Network On October 20, inside the production scheduling command center at Qingdao Port, a "production brain" composed of multiple spliced screens displayed real-time operational scenes from five major port areas: international megaships filled with cargo were orderly mooring or departing, and various goods were being transported through the terminal to inland areas—indicative of a bustling scene. The fluctuating production data and vessel dynamics on the screens reflect Qingdao Port’s ongoing efforts to expand international logistics channels. “We have just opened the ‘Brazil-Qingdao-Belgium’ international logistics channel, achieving smooth two-way logistics,” said Sun Changjie, deputy manager of the operations department at Qingdao Port West Link Company. This channel has built an efficient maritime transport link for regional enterprises to export equipment and engineering machinery, as well as import pulp raw materials. A pulp customer explained, "Previously, pulp was transported to factories by truck, sometimes leading to raw material supply shortages. With the new two-way logistics channel, the customized logistics solutions provided by Qingdao Port not only reduced logistics costs but also significantly improved efficiency."
Leveraging advantages from the two-way logistics network, Qingdao Port has established a comprehensive service system featuring end-to-end logistics, multimodal transport, and tailored strategies for individual enterprises. From January to August this year, Qingdao Port added 5 new general cargo routes, accumulating over 40 routes; the total number of container routes surpassed 230, covering over 700 ports in more than 180 countries and regions. In the sea-rail intermodal transport sector, the "front port-back station, integrated operation" model developed by Qingdao Port has proven effective. This year, Qingdao Port has introduced 3 new sea-rail intermodal routes covering Southeast Asia, the Middle East, India-Pakistan, and emerging markets along the "Belt and Road," bringing the total number of sea-rail intermodal routes to 86, maintaining a national leading position in container rail-water intermodal volumes and providing convenient pathways for Chinese export enterprises.
At the same time, the infrastructure development at Qingdao Port is accelerating. With the approval of the "Overall Planning of Qingdao Port (2035)," Qingdao Port will launch a major infrastructure capability enhancement project with a total investment of approximately 77 billion yuan in 2025. Among them, the second phase of the Dongjiakou Port liquid chemical storage project has officially come into service, and the second 400,000-ton ore terminal has successfully passed completion acceptance inspections. The blueprint for “rebuilding another Qingdao Port” is gradually becoming a reality.
Deepening Integration of Port and City At the liquid chemical terminal in the Dongjiakou area of Qingdao Port, a well-structured arrangement of chemical raw material transport pipelines and modern liquefied hydrocarbon storage tanks presents a picture of thriving industry. Not long ago, the vessel "GAS VISION," carrying 32,000 tons of low-temperature propane and 11,600 tons of low-temperature butane, docked here and successfully discharged its cargo into the low-temperature butane storage tanks, marking the official commencement of operations at Qingdao Port's first liquefied hydrocarbon storage area. "The storage area employs the most advanced automated safety instrument systems, allowing for real-time and precise monitoring of tank liquid levels, pressure, and temperature. Recently, we also set a new record of loading 122 trucks in 24 hours," stated Wei Wenpeng, manager of the operations department at the Dongjiakou liquid chemical terminal. The opening of this storage area not only significantly enhances the liquid hydrocarbon storage and transportation capacity in North China but also provides stable raw material supply for chemical enterprises in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Shandong Peninsula, and along the Yellow River, contributing to supply chain stability.
In recent years, Qingdao Port has adhered to the development logic of "ports serving cities, cities thriving through ports." By tightly interlinking the hub network with "hard connections" and cultivating an industrial ecosystem through "soft empowerment," it has deeply integrated the port's functions into urban development, promoting a virtuous cycle of "port-industry-city" synergy. With the successive commissioning of port-industry-city projects, including the second phase of the Dongjiakou oil terminal, the third phase of the grain silo, and the third phase of the oil logistics storage, as well as the imminent commissioning of the second 400,000-ton ore terminal, Qingdao Port's industrial siphon effect continues to strengthen. Currently, domestic and international leading enterprises, including Itochu Corporation from Japan, Trafigura Group from Singapore, Louis Dreyfus Company, and Shandong Bohai Industrial Group, are actively setting up port-related industrial projects in Qingdao. Relying on the Shandong Free Trade Zone Qingdao area, new business formats such as international transshipment and complete vehicle imports through Qingdao Port are accelerating development, with cumulative exports of finished vehicles rising by 23% year-on-year from January to July.
From the "technology empowerment" of smart ports to the "network tightening" of global logistics, and to the "industry upgrading" of port-city integration, Qingdao Port is writing a "deep blue answer sheet" for high-quality development of the marine economy through multidimensional breakthroughs. In the future, this century-old port will continue to take higher positions and implement more practical measures to support the strategy of "strategically navigating the sea and striving for strength at sea," providing solid support for the deepening and far-reaching development of the marine economy.