The 2026 national conference on accelerating the development of a strong transport nation, held recently in Wuhan, saw the Ministry of Transport unveil a list of 12 exemplary pilot projects for transport strength construction. Among them, a case study titled "Shandong Builds Qingdao Smart Port Fully Automated Container Terminal," submitted by the Shandong Provincial Department of Transport as the pilot organizing unit, was the only entry from Shandong to secure a spot on the list.
The fully automated container terminal at Qingdao Port (SHA: 601298), located on the southern bank of Qianwan Port Area, spans a coastline of 2,088 meters and is capable of berthing 200,000-ton container vessels. As a globally leading automated terminal, it also holds the distinction of being the first "hydrogen + 5G" smart green port and the first fully domestically developed and self-operated automated terminal in China.
The terminal's operations are orchestrated by its "smart brain" and "neural hub"—the Automated Terminal Operating System (A-TOS) and the next-generation Equipment Control System (A-ECS). These systems intelligently command and control all terminal workflows, featuring ten functional modules, including smart vessel handling, smart yard management, smart scheduling, smart control, and smart gate operations. This architecture supports full-scenario applicability across manual, semi-automated, and fully automated container terminals.
Specifically, A-TOS leverages multi-dimensional algorithm acceleration to achieve "second-level" computing for a single terminal handling over ten million TEUs annually, while the all-new A-ECS marks the world's first realization of non-stop system upgrades and maintenance for terminal equipment control. According to statistics, the automated terminal's overall operational efficiency is 30% higher than that of traditional terminals, with throughput exceeding 320,000 TEUs per 100 meters of quay line, a 15% reduction in yard container reshuffling, and an 80% reduction in labor. Its average handling efficiency reaches 36.2 natural boxes per hour, with an average single-crane operational efficiency of 62.62 natural boxes per hour, setting a world record for automated terminal handling efficiency on thirteen occasions.
Situated on the coast of the Yellow Sea, this automated terminal is leveraging its robust capabilities to share China's advanced smart port technologies and mature solutions with the global community, serving as a prime example of achieving high-level technological self-reliance and fostering new quality productive forces.