China’s new fully-automated port terminal has opened in Shanghai Yangshan Deep Water Port, becoming the world’s biggest automated container terminal, boosting the country’s efforts to be at the forefront of global trade.
Once fully operational, the new terminal will be able to move 6.3 million TEUs a year, while the whole port will be able to handle more than 40 million annually. As such, the Chinese economy will be integrated into the global economy at a faster pace, Premier Li Keqiang was quoted as saying on the sidelines of a conference on 10 April.
According to Xinhua news agency, the port will use automated handling equipment designed and manufactured in China, for loading and unloading. Instead of workers, operations will be conducted by 26 bridge cranes, 130 auto-guided vehicles, and 120 rail-mounted gantry cranes, all remotely-controlled.
Except for cost savings from labor, the terminal is expected to contribute to a 10% reduction in emissions.
Shanghai is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River which has made it a key point of trade development over the years. In 2010, Shanghai overtook Singapore as the world’s busiest container port, while six of the top ten busiest container ports in the world are in China or Hong Kong.
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