Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) has launched its smart command and control center project, with the support from its Shangdong Branch, NeZha Technology, and Huawei.
This is the first project in the world to apply optical networking technology for centralised remote control in ports – marking a major breakthrough in the operation of next-generation smart ports.
Huawei’s optical networking technology offers improved bandwidth, lower latency, higher reliability, and more connections, capable to fulfil industrial IoT requirements from smart ports.
The smart command and control center for centralised remote control in urban areas using advanced optical networks was deployed at Phase IV of the Yangshan Port – the world’s largest and most automated container terminal.
The terminal covers 2,350m of shoreline, and holds seven deep-water container berths, 21 ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, 108 rail-mounted gantry (RMG) cranes, and 125 automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
Operating since December 2017, Phase IV of the Yangshan Port is quickly growing its container throughput, having handled 11 million TEU to date.
The port’s maximum round-the-clock handling capacity exceeds 21,000 TEU, and its STS cranes have repeatedly performed over 1000 operations within a calendar day.
With the optical networking technology featuring low latency and high reliability, command and control over quay cranes (QCs) and yard cranes is no longer taking place at the port.
Remote control is implemented from the Tongsheng Logistics Park and downtown Shanghai.
Located over 100 km away from the port, remote operators control a variety of heavy port equipment from a single point to multiple locations.
This brings many advantages such as reduced commute times for staff, better predictability of staff availability, and attractiveness of the workplace.
This project has allowed SIPG to improve the terminal’s emergency response and uninterrupted service capabilities in exceptional circumstances, such as extreme weather conditions.
In smart ports, optical networking, through flexible bandwidth carrying ultra-high definition videos and smoother QC control services, is mainly used in the Huawei OTN solution.
Huawei OTN implements a Wide Area Network (WAN) interconnection between ports, as well as in the Huawei Industry OptiX solution, accurately and efficiently controlling large port equipment.
Optical networking technology also simplifies network layers and centrally carries machine and campus networks, with the visualised network management system (NMS) reducing the Operations & Management (O&M) workload by 60%.
Gu Jinshan, the Chairman of SIPG, commented, “This project marks the first practical application of the centralised remote control in urban areas over port equipment using advanced optical networks.
“Guided by the 14th Five-Year Plan, SIPG will continue to develop a world-class shipping hub. To achieve this, we aim to build an internationally competitive digital port industry, and accelerate the development of Shanghai International Shipping Center and powerful ports.”
At the launch event, Shangdong Branch, NeZha Technology, and Huawei also signed a Port Intelligent Twins Innovation Cooperation Agreement to continue cooperation in building smart ports while promoting the digital transformation of SIPG.
The three parties will invest in and construct major projects, guided by the use of advanced technologies, and develop industry demonstration applications.
They will also aggregate superior talent, technology, and capital resources to empower SIPG’s digital transformation to the highest extent possible.
In order to accumulate and deliver successful digital transformation practices and methodologies for ports globally, the three parties established a joint Port Intelligent Twins innovation center, which achieves all-scenario sensing, interconnection, and intelligence.
