On May 5, the General Management Department of National Energy Administration and the General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology jointly released the 2022 list of typical cases of 5G application in the energy sector. Huanghua Port’s “innovative application of 5G in intelligent port construction” made the list, indicating that the port’s intelligent development model can play an exemplary role.
The project of “innovative application of 5G in intelligent port construction” focuses on construction of digital and intelligent infrastructure. Leveraging new-generation information technologies such as 5G, BeiDou satellite network, cloud computing, blockchain, and big data, it forged the platform base, data base, and cloud base to achieve digital empowerment. It also provides scenario-based services such as intelligent manufacturing, horizontal transportation, and smart operation. Based on technologies such as “5G+BeiDou” and “5G+AI”, it removed the barriers at the last mile of production control. Through integrating high-precision positioning and AI intelligent recognition and control with loading equipment, it has also developed a full set of intelligent ship loading technical solution targeting bulk cargo harbors that features “5G+BeiDou” automated vessel loading, 5G-based loading equipment remote control, and “5G+BeiDou” unmanned coal transportation. The effort has further innovated the operation model of bulk cargo harbors and laid a solid foundation for building a green, intelligent, efficient, and safe world-class demonstration port.
Results of the project have been fully applied in 16 unmanned bulk cargo berths in Huanghua Port. Relying on the automatic loading system and the integrated production model, the port’s berth usage rate increased by 15%, its average ship loading time was shortened by 25%, and its vessel full-load ratio grew by 10%. These improvements allow the port to reduce shipping missions needed each year by 60, thus cutting diesel consumption by more than 450 tonnes, carbon dioxide emissions by 1,400 tonnes, and sulfur dioxide emissions by 9,000 tonnes per year. With remarkable economic, environmental and social benefits, the achievements of the project are worth promoting in the industry.
