China opened its first sea-rail intermodal container terminal on Tuesday in what is the first phase of Beibu Gulf Port Automated Container Terminal, spanning berths 7 and 8 in the Dalanping area of Qinzhou port.
The new terminal is integral to the New International Land Sea Trade Corridor and is part of the Belt and Road initiative. The corridor connects the landlocked Chongqing by rail to Qinzhou in western China, from where cargoes can be shipped worldwide.
It is estimated that in the terminal’s first phase, annual capacity will be 1.02m teu. The second phase, expected to be ready in 2023, will increase capacity to 2.62m teu with the addition of two berths.
Beibu Gulf Port, which processed over 6m teu in 2021, is targeting annual handling of 10 million teu by 2025.
The automated terminal is said to be the first of its kind, with a U-shaped process layout, enabling several tasks to be performed with minimal manpower.
The terminal uses automatic double-trolley quay cranes that are reportedly at least 10% more efficient than conventional single-trolley quay cranes, while locally developed intelligent guided vehicles (IGV), installed with cameras and sensors, help to carry containers between the berth and the storage yard. The IGVs can operate for four hours and require just 20 minutes of battery charging time.
Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone deputy director Huang Wuhai said: “The terminals opening will significantly improve the comprehensive capability and intelligence of Beibu Gulf Port, completely break the infrastructure bottleneck in ocean-going routes, and help develop the New International Land Sea Trade Corridor.”
