After several years of incremental testing and sea trials, the smart container vessel Zhi Fei has completed what is described as the world's first full-process unmanned operation. On Saturday, the vessel navigated, berthed, and handled cargo at an automated terminal in Qingdao Port without crew intervention on deck.
Earlier phases of the vessel's development and entry into commercial service still involved hybrid intervention during complex port manoeuvres. The latest operation marks a shift towards managing the entire logistics cycle autonomously.
© Zhi Fei
The 300 TEU vessel docked at the terminal using a sensor array and a domestically developed navigation system. On arrival at the quay, a vacuum-based automatic mooring system secured the hull using high-power suction pads in less than 30 seconds, replacing conventional manual line handling.
Following mooring, the automated terminal equipment carried out loading and unloading operations. The process was coordinated through the A-TOS terminal operating system and A-ECS equipment control system. These systems synchronised quay cranes and guided vehicles with millisecond-level response times.
"This successful operation proves that the integration between autonomous vessels and smart ports is no longer a theoretical concept but a functional reality," said a spokesperson for the project's technical team.
The vessel remains capable of manual, remote, and autonomous control and continues to operate within the fleet of Shandong Port Shipping Group. The full-process demonstration in Qingdao indicates progress towards broader adoption of automation in shipping operations, including objectives linked to reducing accidents and addressing labour shortages.
Source: Container News
