China has put to operation last November 28 the world's first hydrogen-powered 5G port located in Qingdao, a port city in China’s eastern Shandong province.
In a statement, Qingdao Port said the new Qianwan Automatic Container Terminal measures 660 metres long, including two berths, with a designed throughput capacity of 1.7 million TEUs per year. It is equipped with nine double trolley quayside bridges, 38 high-speed rail cranes and 45 automatic guided vehicles.
More efficient than traditional ports
Chinese state-run CCTV said using new innovations, the new container terminal has increased operating efficiency by 30% and reduced labour demands by 70% compared with more traditional ports, making its automation and overall efficiency at par if not superior to other world-class ports.
Aside from handling the loading and unloading of containers by intelligent systems, the "green port" also uses nearly 100 automated equipment including unmanned guided vehicles and high-speed rail cranes powered by hydrogen fuel, CCTV said, which will help the entire terminal to achieve its goal of zero-emission while still operating to its full potential.
"At our port, the bridge crane and rail crane transmit control and video signals remotely by 5G, enabling the unmanned driving of all equipment and fully meets the demand of our production needs," Li Yongcui, a general manager at the terminal, was quoted as saying.
The report also said the fully-automated port has greatly sped up the traditional terminal operating modes. It allows new-generation crane drivers to control six sets of lifting equipment at a control centre located 100 meters away, while also fully completing the loading and unloading process within 90 seconds.
Sulfur, carbon dioxide reduction
Estimates said the entire Qingdao Port’s New Qianwan Automatic Container Terminal is expected to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by about 28,000 tons and cut sulfur dioxide emissions by about 300 tons each year.
"We used a large amount of diesel power before, and later switched to electricity. Now we use this hydrogen power, a new type of power that is completely green and environmentally-friendly without carbon emissions. The port has been transforming and upgrading green environmental protection measures and exploring technological [methods]," Zhang Liangang, another manager at the terminal was also quoted as saying.
The construction of the facility started in June 2018, and the terminal became operational in just one and a half years.
Qingdao Port said this is only one-fifth of the construction cycle of similar terminals in the world, thanks in part to innovations and "first frontier technology" used in the project.
