Automated container cranes and driverless transport vehicles are revolutionizing operations at Tianjin Port in the Chinese mainland, north of China.
Smart port construction, incorporating technologies such as 5G, AI, autonomous driving, and cloud computing, has completely transformed Tianjin Port into the world's first intelligent zero-carbon terminal. This advancement boosts the operating efficiency of a single gantry crane by over 40 percent and reduces labor costs by 60 percent.
In recent years, China has been vigorously developing smart transport and logistics to build world-class smart and green ports. Beyond Tianjin, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the world's busiest port in terms of cargo throughput, has also embraced intelligent port construction.
\"About 90 percent of China's foreign trade is shipped by sea. The development of smart ports will enhance operational efficiency and significantly contribute to the growth of China's foreign trade,\" stated Lin Yikun, an official from the China Communications and Transportation Association.
As the world's largest trader of goods, China's foreign trade reached a new high in the first half of this year, fueling economic recovery. Official data released on Friday showed that the trade volume of goods expanded by 6.1 percent year on year to 21.17 trillion yuan (approximately $2.97 trillion) in the January-June period, according to the General Administration of Customs.
\"Maritime shipping is crucial to the world economy as 85 percent of all global trade is seaborne, and China plays an important role in this,\" said Steve Gordon, global head of Clarkson Research Services Ltd., a shipping research institution, during the four-day Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo 2024, which opened on Wednesday.
\"China remains shipping's biggest single market. In many areas of the maritime economy, China is incredibly important and has taken on market-leading positions globally,\" Gordon added.
Reference(s):
Smart ports help China consolidate its booming foreign trade
cgtn.com
