Container terminal sets record for efficiency

The automated container terminal at Qingdao Port, a subsidiary of Shandong Port Group, achieved an average productivity of 60.6 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per hour during an unloading task on Monday. This marks the 11th time that the terminal has set a world record for automated terminal efficiency.

As one of the key international trade gateways of the country, Qingdao Port is home to Asia's first fully automated container terminal. Since beginning operations in May 2017, the terminal has continuously broken global records, driven by the operator's ongoing efforts to enhance its capabilities.

Liu Wangyang, a manager at the terminal's operations department, said 2024 has been a year of continuous innovation. Efficiency has improved by 6 percent year-on-year, and cargo throughput has increased by 15 percent compared to the same period in 2023. These improvements enabled the terminal to surpass its previous year's total container throughput 43 days ahead of schedule.

In late November, the terminal completed an upgrade to its next-generation intelligent control system, developed in-house.

Chen Qiang, head of the terminal's software development department, highlighted the system's seven technological innovations, including twin-lift automated loading and dual-trolley heavy-load operations. "The new system is expected to boost operational efficiency by 6.3 percent," said Chen.

In December 2023, the third phase of Qingdao Port's automated terminal began operations. As China's first domestically developed automated container terminal, it marked a big step forward in achieving national core competitiveness in port technology.

Following the expansion, the terminal's automated container berth now spans 2,088 meters, with 1,652 meters currently operational. Key upgrades, including large-scale implementation of home-grown automated electrical control systems, have enhanced service efficiency, said the port operator.

Qingdao Port is now the fourth-largest port globally by cargo throughput and the second-largest for foreign trade in China. It operates over 220 container shipping routes, the busiest in northern China. In the first three quarters of 2024, the port handled 23.16 million TEUs, an 8 percent year-on-year increase.

Separately, on Sunday, Qingdao Port's pulp terminal set a new global benchmark by unloading 51,676 metric tons of pulp in just 24 hours, achieving a world record for the fourth time.