Tianjin Port creates multiple world ‘firsts’

On September 26, Tianjin Port (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Tianjin Port”) released its new outcomes on smart terminals, aiming to provide a “Tianjin Port Solution” for global smart port transitioning.

In the automatic container yard in the smart terminal of the North Zone of Tianjin Port Container Terminal Co., Ltd. (“Tianjin Port Container Terminal”), a container set marked as the “5,000,000th Smart Operation Container” was seen hoisted to an unmanned electronic container truck by automatic track bridge, and then delivered to the terminal front. The whole operation was seamless and highly efficient.

The Tianjin Port Container Terminal has invested RMB 315 million on the container yard automation project. It took 402 days to complete the project, from its inauguration on April 1, 2018 to the official release of 31 automatic track bridges on May 7, 2019. A world record on automatic terminal construction was set, a standard now known as “Tianjin Speed”. The project also created a Tianjin Model that features “concurrent production, remodeling, tuning, and operation”.

“In a short period of 13 months, as we implemented equipment remodeling without suspending terminal operations, many difficulties in civil engineering, unfavorable weather conditions, and construction issues were addressed to realize the successful launch of 31 automatic track bridges, while fully meeting project targets. It is a world-class project, and a one-time-only record in the delivery history of 968 ABB automatic track bridges on a global basis,” said Senior Vice President of ABB Ports, Uno T. Bryfors.

He also said that in order to break limitations imposed by previous terminal operation models and track bridge machine for the remodeling project, ABB made many “firsts” and provided the “most advanced” technological solutions. The exemplary cases included application of VAS 3D scanning technology that helped achieve breakthroughs on building dual lanes on one side of interior-span track bridges; integration of location display information on container trucks with a real-time terminal operation information management platform -- Terminal View 3D -- that enables port dispatchers to realize precise management and dispatch of container trucks; and using specifically-optimized electronic anti-sway technology that resolved over-swaying of four-rope slings on track bridges. ABB’s was the world’s first automatic track bridge project that has actually solved this issue.

Sizable Use of Unmanned Electronic Container Trucks “Tops the World”

At the press release site, unmanned electronic container trucks in a set of four were seen carrying containers back and forth between the terminal front and the yard. Something beyond imagination just one year ago, it has now become a reality. Moreover, Chinese ports and companies have firm control of the key technology behind that success.

As of the mid of this September, four unmanned electronic container trucks purchased by Tianjin Port had completed operation on 4,500 containers. Seamless connection with the Terminal Operation System (TOS) and Track Bridge Automatic Operation System were also realized. The project is regarded as the world’s first port integration horizontal transport system to realize actual operation.