Modern ports expected to offer end-to-end services

Editor's Note: China has the largest port infrastructure in the world. Su Fengming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, spoke to People's Daily Overseas Edition about the measures needed to meet evolving trade and logistics demands. Below are excerpts from the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, China's ports registered impressive growth, with throughput hitting record highs and handling capacity further enhanced. Service levels also steadily improved with an increase in the number of large-scale and specialized berths. In 2024, the number of operational berths reached 22,219, of which 2,971 berths had a capacity of 10,000 tons or more, a 14.62 percent increase compared with 2020. The construction of port cluster systems has also begun to show results.

The smart and green transformation of China's ports is in the fast lane. Technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and cloud computing are being used for remote port control, unmanned container truck scheduling, dynamic yard optimization and berth plan optimization. These measures have helped to significantly improve operational efficiency. China ranks first in the world in both the existing and under-construction scale of automated container and dry bulk terminals, while the creation of a number of near zero carbon ports is being expedited.