An aerial view shows COSCO SHENGSHI, a vehicle carrier, at the Xiamen Ocean Gate Container Terminal in July 2023. CHINA DAILY
At Xiamen Ocean Gate Container Terminal Co, a subsidiary of China COSCO Shipping, an expansive port area operates with finely tuned precision and an almost eerie silence.
Massive lifting equipment glides seamlessly back and forth, moving containers onto unmanned vehicles ready to be transferred to the next stage in the process. From the gates to the shoreline, and from the ground to high in the air, the operational lines crisscross in a complex yet perfectly orderly manner, all without a single frontline worker in sight.
This scene is the daily reality at a facility recognized globally as the world's first fourth-generation automated terminal. It stands as China's first fully automated container terminal possessing complete, independent intellectual property rights. Located in the western area of the Haicang Bonded Port Area, the terminal was initiated for research and development in 2013 and officially put into operation in March 2016, marking a breakthrough for China's automated terminals.
The terminal's automation represents a comprehensive leap forward. It has transitioned from the vertical automation of first-generation terminals and the horizontal automated transport of second and third generations to a fully integrated, intelligent system. The facility is equipped with three automated dual-trolley quayside container cranes, 16 automated rail-mounted gantry cranes, 18 automated guided vehicles and eight automated container transfer platforms.
