On February 21, the “Zhifei,” China’s first intelligent container ship to be put into commercial operation, precisely berthed at the automated terminal of Qingdao Port in Shandong Province using an unmanned autonomous navigation mode. This marks the first time that China has achieved fully unmanned operation of the entire process of container ship navigation, berthing, and operation.
After the “Zhifei” vessel was precisely positioned, the vacuum suction cups of the automated vacuum mooring system powerfully adhered to the hull, eliminating the need for manual mooring and securing the vessel firmly to the berth in less than 30 seconds.
Subsequently, the fully automated loading and unloading equipment at the terminal operated simultaneously and efficiently. The independently developed Automated Terminal Operating System (A-TOS) and Automated Equipment Control System (A-ECS) worked together to command automated gantry cranes and automated guided vehicles with millisecond-level response speeds, completing the container loading and unloading operations.
It is understood that the “Zhifei” is equipped with a domestically developed intelligent navigation core system and is the first intelligent cargo vessel in China designed for commercial operation. It has three modes: manual driving, remote control and unmanned autonomous navigation.