Smart ports are on the rise

By Gordon Feller

China’s state-controlled company, China Merchants Ports (CMPorts), officially opened their smart port project in Mawan (located in western Shenzhen) in November 2021, making it mainland’s first 5G-enabled container terminal.

The project was initially launched in 2015, when CMPorts signed a “strategic cooperation framework” with the French-based operator CMA CGM. The focus was on the widening of the Tonggu Channel and conversion of four multipurpose vessel wharves into two berths — each of them ultimately able to accommodate ultra-large containerships.

Mawan’s port features autonomous trucks using digital perception radar sensor solutions from U.S. digital imaging radar specialist Uhnder Corporation. These sensor solutions enable trucks to operate safely, even in rain, fog or dust. The port’s facelift covers 983,600 square metres, with a wharf length of 1.93 km and a designed annual throughput capacity of three million TEUs.

The port’s facelift covers 983,600 square metres, with a wharf length of 1.93 km and a designed annual throughput capacity of three million TEUs.

CMPorts announced that Mawan was the first smart port upgrade that used China-based technologies. The project focused on the port’s conventional dry bulk/general cargo terminals.

It features nine elements, including these: CMCore (a terminal operating system developed by CMPorts); China Merchants ePort; CMPorts’ integrated customer service platform; blockchain; artificial intelligence.

With automated operations, CMPorts' claims that the Mawan Port could reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions by approximately 1,350 tonnes annually, reduce carbon monoxide emissions by approximately 450 tonnes annually, and reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by approximately 15 tonnes.

It

to achieve short-term

by implementing technology innovations and new techpowered business process solutions.

Various technologies are needed if a port aims to attain one of the key elements of a smart port: automatic sensing of port information; integrated information analysis and automatic processing; or intelligent feedback to port operations. Among the many features of such a system, the list must include:

• Intelligent image tracking system

• Big data analysis simulation

• Real time surveillance

• AI autonomy assessment

• Tracking intruders

• Around-the-clock automatic alerting

Back in 1993, it was the Port of Rotterdam Authority which was the pioneer of automated container terminals and automation in ports operations management. Complementary investments followed in infrastructure, information and communication technology and digital networks to support the new modes of operation. Today, there are 48 automated ports around the world. And the Port of Rotterdam is now the busiest container port in Europe, with a total container throughput of 14.5 million 20-foot container units per annum.

Enthusiasts, who today are praising smart ports, do so because they have seen the real-world impacts, which are net positive. The benefits include the leveraging of existing technologies already available at the port. The upside for those embracing the smart port concept is that they have improved business processes in ways which maximize the use of space, time, money, and natural resources. This is contributing to greater operational efficiencies, expanded energy efficiencies, heightened safety and security, plus improved environmental sustainability. Modernizing maritime trade with appropriate smart port features can help ports address some of their key risks, while at the same time helping them to reduce the costs of goods and services — all while driving economic growth.

A growing body of evidence suggests that both the potential and the promise for such technology initiatives is straightforward: they can contribute to those strategies which are already in place, especially the ones which aim to improve trade logistics, build resilience to external shocks, and deepen regional cooperation and integration.