On July 25, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Group (ZPMC) held a “Building? Smart Ports” media open day at its Changxing branch. From technical demonstrations on the production floor to in-depth exchanges during the salon, journalists experienced up close the technological breakthroughs and innovations of this global port machinery giant in the field of smart ports.
At the event, journalists first visited the production command center of ZPMC Changxing branch. This center serves as an intelligent management hub integrating technologies such as 5G, digital twins, and the Internet of Things (IoT), constructing a fully three-dimensional virtual scene to achieve real-time mapping and precise control of personnel, machinery, materials, methods, and environment. Through an integrated “ground-air” platform, it consolidates core functions such as production scheduling, safety grid monitoring, and quality traceability, supporting rapid workstation positioning, dynamic environmental data collection, and cross-system coordinated command, improving management efficiency by 30%. After touring the No. 0 Offshore Wharf, attendees boarded cranes bound for France and Morocco, witnessing firsthand the precise container-handling operations by crane operators and experiencing the ultra-high stability of quay crane loading and unloading. The “one-click” remote control demonstration of the Morocco-bound crane vividly showcased the transformative impact of automation technology on port operations—tasks previously requiring manual high-altitude work can now be accurately performed via remote control, highlighting significant progress in automation and intelligence for port operations.
During the salon session, top industry experts in ZPMC’s port machinery equipment field gathered to share insights under four subtopics: “New Technologies, New Products, New Standards, and New Achievements,” further demonstrating ZPMC’s deep expertise in smart ports.
In terms of new technologies, ZPMC focused on breakthroughs in cutting-edge smart port technologies, introducing five key advancements in automated terminal technology over the past three years: fully automated landside operations for quay cranes, intelligent visual perception technology, the next-generation ZPMC-TOS, an integrated smart operation and maintenance platform, and a full simulation platform. These innovations continuously elevate port automation and intelligence. The fully automated landside technology for quay cranes, leveraging laser and visual fusion perception and a proprietary anti-sway dynamics model, achieves fully automated container handling for trucks, with a success rate exceeding 90% and efficiency on par with manual operations, reaching domestic leading levels. Intelligent visual perception technology offers high cost-effectiveness and compensates for laser limitations, applying to scenarios such as crane collision avoidance, shipside container handling assistance, automated vehicle handling and positioning, and yard recognition, laying the groundwork for breakthroughs like fully automated seaside operations. The next-generation ZPMC-TOS (Terminal Operating System) integrates planning and equipment control with a focus on intelligent algorithms and universal design adaptable to seaports, inland ports, and other scenarios, already operational at Zhonggu Qinzhou Logistics Base. The integrated smart operation and maintenance platform, a tailored “equipment butler” for terminal maintenance teams, consolidates multiple systems for visual equipment monitoring, controllable processes, and traceable records, supporting cross-platform operations and over 100 concurrent users, now deployed in ports like Ningbo and Nansha. The full simulation platform optimizes terminal layouts, validates system functions, and simulates loading/unloading processes post-deployment, already applied in fully automated terminals such as Guangzhou Port Nansha Phase IV and Qinzhou Beibu Gulf.
For new products, ZPMC demonstrated precise alignment between innovation and practical needs, showcasing multiple groundbreaking offerings. These include the cost-effective Model S yard crane, the world’s first semicircular-girder quay crane with reduced wind resistance and energy consumption, lightweight quay cranes for inland waterways, the more efficient single-hoist fully automated separable spreader, electro-hydraulic twin-lift spreaders, and transmission components overcoming bottleneck technologies. These products excel in efficiency, low-carbon performance, and intelligence, providing superior solutions for diverse port scenarios. The “Model S” yard crane, centered on “speed, excellence, and sustainability,” reduces self-weight and wheel pressure through lightweight design while boosting precision control, cutting energy consumption per TEU by 15% and suiting high-speed automated yards. The pioneering semicircular-girder quay crane slashes wind resistance by over 30% with its revolutionary cross-section, saving energy and lowering wheel pressure, earning multiple patents and deployed across Eurasian and African terminals. The inland lightweight quay crane, tailored for riverine conditions, reduces wind load by 50% and wheel pressure by 15% with its full-pipe portal frame and modular design, already implemented in multiple inland ports. The single-hoist fully automated separable spreader converts standard quay cranes to double-container handling, boosting efficiency by up to 80%, while reverting to single-lift mode for containers over 40 tons (max single-lift capacity: 70 tons). The electro-hydraulic twin-lift spreader, the world’s first hybrid electric-hydraulic product, merges electric and hydraulic advantages, cutting energy use by over 95% and offering full-range sensing and connectivity, transforming from a “lifting tool” to a “smart work unit” that supports digital terminals with data and management interfaces. The heavy-duty steering drive axle, a core AGV component, is 100% domestically produced, integrating low-speed braking and steering while preventing tire side-slip and enhancing gear durability. The smart monitoring system enables real-time internal part inspection without disassembly, automatically diagnosing and reporting faults, crucial for unmanned smart ports. The electric push rod reducer, used for spreader rotation, features standardized, compact, reliable, and interchangeable design, earning global recognition. The new roller coupling excels in high torque transmission, angular compensation, and low contact stress, ideal for reducer-drum connections in smart terminals.
Regarding new standards, ZPMC showcased its leap from technological breakthroughs to rule-setting leadership, actively contributing to international standard development—notably with its expert chairing ISO/SC27, marking China’s transition from “participant” to “leader” in port machinery. Its pioneering work on carbon footprints for port machinery is even more groundbreaking, securing the industry’s first verification certificate globally and releasing China’s first corporate-level carbon footprint accounting standard for port cranes, offering vital references for green industry development.
In new achievements, ZPMC proactively addressed global market opportunities and challenges. Recently, its reach stacker exported to Laos marked entry into its 110th country/region, expanding its international footprint. Backed by global strategy and a robust marketing network, ZPMC’s order intake surged, securing overseas contracts from 13 countries including the Netherlands, UK, and France in H1 2023, with international orders accounting for nearly 80% of total orders—a year-on-year increase exceeding 30%, solidifying its rising global competitiveness.
As the world’s largest port machinery manufacturer and automated terminal system provider, ZPMC’s open day showcased how its technologies, products, and standards propel smart port development—automation enhances efficiency and safety, low-carbon intelligent products drive green transformation, and international standard participation fosters industry collaboration. This Chinese enterprise is offering replicable, scalable “China solutions” for global port intelligence through its innovations.
By Huang Ling, All-Media Reporter; Li Xuejiao, Correspondent
