Development and Technological Innovation
of Chinese Container Logistics
Qifan BAO 包起帆
1. Overview of Chinese Container Transportation in 2012
Chinese main ports(capacity above 2 million TEUs) handled 176.51 million TEUs in 2012, at an growth rate of 8.1% compared with year 2011.
Million TEUs
• International Lines: Foreign trade container 105.83mTEUs were up 2.1% on the
corresponding period in 2011. Growth rate slowed down 3.4% due to the unbalanced development of foreign trade.
• Domestic Trade: Rapidly increased to 48.22mTEUs, up 16.5% on the corresponding
period in 2011.
• Domestic Trade is the key drivers of container throughput.
Composition of Main Ports Throughput in 2012
Domestic Trade Container Transportation BoomingGrowth rate were above 20% every year in last 10 years.
Shanghai port, located at the intersection of the famous golden waterway Yangtze River and the coastal transport corridor, is the biggest cargos distribution center and transshipment port in China.
2.Overview of Container of Shanghai Port
Port Coastline length (m) Berth Quay crane Yard(m2)
SCT 2,281 10 20 550,932
Waigaoqiao Phase I 900 3 11 238,014
Waigaoqiao Phase II &III 1,565 5 26 750,000
Waigaoqiao Phase IV 1,250 4 16 687,000
Waigaoqiao Phase V 1,100 4 16 687,000
Waigaoqiao Phase VI 950 3 11 619,000
Yangshan Phase I 1,600 5 18 860,000
Yangshan Phase II 1,400 4 16 528,000
Yangshan Phase III 2,800 7 26 1800,000
Total 123,896 45 160 6,719,946
Container port of Shanghai mainly distributed in three major Terminals: Yangshan, Waigaoqiao and Wusong, with a total 45 berths, 160 QCs, 463RTGs and 6,719,946 m2 yards.
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Container Throughputs of Shanghai Port, 1990-2012Million TEUs
32.53millionTEUs
The World No.1 Container Throughput
3. Technical Innovation of Shanghai Port
Increase the Container Logistics Transparency and Security
Energy-saving & Emission-reducing Reconstruction for RTGs
On Shore Power Supply for Container Vessel
On the way to world class port, Shanghai is reinforcing its technical
innovation as the core competence.
Automated Container Yard
Increase the Transparency and Security of Container Logistics
To increase the transparency and security in the whole container logistics, SIPG
invented the Container RFID Shipment Tag System. The system takes containers as
its tracking object. Based on the Internet, it uses technologies such as RFID,
wireless data communications to record the real-time security information of cargos,
and construct a network covering the world of container transportation. The system
allows the users learn about the right information of tagged container at any time and
any places. It makes all customers’ information access initiative, compared with
original passive one.
E-tags had been implemented in
logistics monitoring and more than ten
international container lines, including
China, U.S, Canada, Japan, Russia,
Malaysia, etc. Particularly, Malaysia
Customs has used the e-tags in all its
200 border checkpoints.
Based on vast practice, ISO 18186 :2011
Freight Containers – RFID Cargo
Shipment Tag System was published by
ISO on 1st Dec., 2011.
Research and Application on Monitoring System based on Satellite Communications
Internet
Satellite Communications
Satellite Gground Sstation+Web
Server
Ground CellularBase Station
Satellite Positioning
Information Input
Automated Container Yard
2006 , the first automated container yard in China was completed in Waigaoqiao Phase II, Shanghai:OCR system of intelligent gateway auto-identifies the containers;Hoisting gear can identify various trucks;Central control system conducts the container truck by video and lndicator lamp;Gantry cranes finish container truck loading /unloading and stack automatically.
Automated container yard trial has well performed around one million
containers since March 15, 2006.
Energy-saving & emission-reducing reconstruction for RTGs
It is reported that ports comprise the single largest fixed source of air pollution. The power supply of RTG depends on its own diesel generator, which results in a low energy conversion efficiency and high diesel consumption, and brings huge pollution to the port city.
Since 2006, Shanghai Port has begun to use electricity for RTG energy supply.
Overhead electricity power sliding lines
Overhead power lines are laid on the same direction of RTG on the yard. RTG
works with electricity through an extra connecting device. Waigaoqiao Terminal of
Shanghai Port has adopted this system for years. Every year it may save 1.25 million
USD (10,902 tons of standard coal equivalent energy) and reduces 22,895 tons of CO2
emissions. There’s no more diesel engine exhaust and noise pollution.
Hybrid power system for RTGs
Hybrid power system for RTG is a good choice for Shanghai Yangshang Terminal because of its inconvenience of using mains electricity supply. The principle is to save the energy when crane offload container, then convert it into electricity, and being provided to RTG when it needs. The fully implement of hybrid electrical RTGs in Yangshan Terminal of Shanghai saves around 4 million USD (4,592 tons of standard coal equivalent energy), and reduces 9,645 tons of CO2 emissions every year.
Super-capacitor Room
On shore power supply for container vessel
It is recorded that 61,873 large-scale ships berthed Shanghai Port in year 2009.
Shanghai suffers 33,800 tons of harmful substances and 912,400 ton of CO2
emitted by such ships, due to vessel’s diesel generators.
2010 , Shanghai started the R&D and implement of on shore power supply
system.
container liner berthing on Shanghai in year 2010
Main power supply module+ Cable Reels Module
VariableVoltage
VariableFrequency
690V/50Hz10KV/50Hz 440V/60Hz
Put out
690V/60HzVariableVoltage
Movable Voltage-variable and Frequency-variable on shore power supply system
Put in
Successful Trial
March 2010, the system successfully provided on shore power to CSCL "new Fuzhou" at the Waigaoqiao Terminal Phase II.
The Waigaoqiao container terminal phase II is the first container terminal that can
provide on shore power supply. Distribution boxes for vessel are equipped on berth.
When the cable plug is plugged into the distribution box, electricity can be provided with
the frequency-variable mode of high-voltage 10kV, 50Hz to vessels (450V/6.6kV, 60Hz).
4. Development of Dry Port
A dry port ( inland port) is an inland intermodal terminal, offering services as the coastal ports, such is customs clearance, storage of goods, etc.
In China, dry port has become the focus of development in recent years.
Inland Port
Cargo Contracting
Port Service
Cargo Tracking
Coastal Portvirtual dry port
After years of development, dry port has enlarged its scale, perfected
the services and formed the following three modes.
For more Source of goods, coastal ports initiatively cooperate with inland cities to build dry ports: Ningbo Port set up more than ten dry ports near the city and Tianjin Port constructed 22 dry ports.;
To further develop the local economy: Nanchang built the dry port to transshipment cargo to Xiamen Port, Shenzhen Port and Ningbo Port by Sea-railway transportation;
According to self-development , coastal port enterprises construct dry ports: Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang have established dry ports based on Dalian Port.
5. Conclusion
Outlook of Chinese Container Transportation in 2013
Steadily increasing throughput, estimated 192 million TEUs, at an 8.5% annual growth.
Sustainable growth of domestic trade, at an estimated 16% annual growth.
Development Trends of Ports in China
Eco-friendly
Specialization , intellectualization and automation of Equipment
Informatization