Guangzhou Port Group

History

2024: Robots, self-driving cars and AI do all the hard work in Guangzhou port

In early October 2024, it became known that robots and unmanned equipment are doing all the hard work in the port of Guangzhou in the Chinese province of Guangdong. This allows you to abandon manual labor and increase the level of safety.

The Nansha area, where the main quays of Guangzhou Port are located, has a fully automated container terminal. The site involves advanced technologies such as Beidou satellite navigation, 5G mobile communications, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. During the construction of the terminal, more than 60 patents were obtained.

Guangzhou Port Group

The intelligent system covers the entire port area and all processes. Special algorithms plan and distribute tasks. Big data analysis tools and next-generation IoT sensors are involved. Mooring cranes transfer containers from barges to special unmanned trolleys, after which they deliver cargo to the right place. People control the operation of robotic equipment from the control room, sitting at computers.

Thanks to a private 5G network with high bandwidth and low delays, one operator can control eight mobile rail cranes at once. This reduces the need for personnel, thereby significantly reducing operating costs. Due to widespread automation, the number of employees in the port was reduced by 70%. The number of incidents involving people decreased by 95%. Self-driving vehicles with electric propulsion systems help reduce emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere. In the future, it is expected that the applied AI technologies and automation systems will be introduced in other ports of China.^[1]

Notes