The Country’s First Autonomous Coal Port Operation Completed

Recently, Huanghua Port under China Energy Investment Corporation completed a full-process remote operation, thus becoming the first coal port in China to achieve autonomous remote operation. This success will add momentum to China’s effort to build “smart ports.”

Huanghua Port is a specialized energy port, mainly engaged in ship-loading of coal. Since 1998, a total of 17 coal berths, two grocery berths and an oil berth have been established here. The port’s throughput exceeded 200 million tons in 2018.

Huanghua Port Company set up a technological R&D team in 2016 to conduct specialized research on autonomous and intelligent operation of coal ports. After more than three years of explorations and attempts, the team has developed a set of remote ship loading control scheme that integrates a visualization system, monitoring and early warning system, and emergency response system. Huanghua Port thus becomes China’s first coal port to achieve full-process remote operation, providing an “intelligent solution” for China’s future construction of coal ports and bulk cargo ports.