B2.11.1 Inland container barges operating at the automated container terminal at Yangshan, Port of Shanghai

Box 2.11, continued

PHOTO B2.11.1

Inland container barges operating at the automated container terminal at Yangshan, Port of Shanghai

Source: © VCG. Used with the permission of VCG. Further permission required for reuse.

make online reservations to move their containers into the yards. Each container has an electronic tag, allowing it to be identified automatically. Equipment handover documents and container pickup receipts are also transmitted digitally, resulting in faster circulation of documents, reduced waiting times at the port gates, and less road congestion around the terminal.

services that clients require. The sharing and exchange of information through the logistics network also improves collaboration and can improve the efficiency of the supply chain. ICT innovations are part of the sustainable development of ports, allowing for easier monitoring of equipment, facilities, personnel, and operations, and dynamically identifying possible risks and security issues (box 2.12). Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift toward automation and digitalization was inevitable.

Table 2.5 describes the functions of ICT systems at some of the major ports in China.

Development of an integrated single window

One way to reduce the administrative burden of cross-border trade is through the single window, defined as “a facility that allows parties involved in trade and