China Accelerates Smart Port Logistics Using Automation And AI
By Siti Zanariah Nor Zin
QINZHOU (China), June 19 (Bernama) -- China continues to strengthen its position as a leader in smart logistics technology through the extensive use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI).
The high-tech solutions have been fully integrated at the Smart Port Innovation Centre at Beibu Gulf Port, one of the fastest-growing ports in the country.
During a recent port visit, the writer observed that smart technology has automated most operations. This includes the use of smart cranes, autonomous container haulers, and digital systems that collect and analyse real-time operational data to improve cargo handling efficiency.
A spokesperson at the cargo terminal said all operations on the ground are monitored and controlled from a control centre located about one kilometre away from the terminal area.
“All equipment at this terminal is automated. The system collects daily operational data and automatically distributes tasks to the relevant equipment.
“Staff only carry out remote monitoring and only go down to the site for specific operations when necessary,” she said during a briefing for the international media delegation visiting the centre.
She said the use of digital technology allows equipment to receive instructions and execute tasks autonomously without direct human intervention.
The cargo terminal is designed to handle up to 2.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually, with four automated berths handling 2.205 million TEUs in 2025, reflecting a high utilisation rate.
According to her, one of the main advantages of the terminal is the use of a U-shaped route, which allows conventional container trucks to enter the operational area more easily compared to conventional automated terminals.
“This design reduces equipment procurement costs and infrastructure investment, in addition to improving transport efficiency because trucks do not need to reverse to pick up containers,” she said.
The spokesperson stated that technological developments and the increased operational capacity have helped the Beibu Gulf Port emerge as one of China's main logistics hubs connecting the country with ASEAN.
The port handled 358 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, ranking ninth among coastal ports in China.
As for container handling, the port recorded over 10 million TEUs in the same year, making it the country's eighth-largest coastal port in terms of container volume.
The Beibu Gulf Port also plays a vital role in supporting trade between China and ASEAN, including Malaysia, through a logistics network that connects the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (CMQIP) and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP).
-- BERNAMA
(The writer is a journalist with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) who was selected to represent the Malaysian media in the three-month China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC) fellowship programme organised by the China Public Diplomacy Association.)
