The APEC Smart Port Development Forum is held via video link on Nov 16. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Hosted by the APEC Port Services Network and organized by Shandong Port Group or SPG – one of the world's biggest port operators, based in Qingdao city, in East China's Shandong province – the APEC Smart Port Development Forum was held via video link on Nov 16.

SPG General Manager Li Fengli attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech, with the theme of "Connecting the World, Greeting the Future through Intelligence – SPG's Practices of Building Smart Ports".

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact the world, the global economic recovery faced uncertainties and the international logistics supply chain was encountering continuous challenges. As the pandemic had continued the pursuit of intelligent operations in the port and shipping sector – as well as building digital, efficient and green ports – had become an inflection point for the sector.

The aim of the forum was to discuss what was important for the development of smart ports, what could bolster supply chain connectivity – and also to put in place related goals of the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040.

Dubbed a pilot unit for smart port construction that was selected by the Ministry of Transport, SPG was among the first ports groups to release a green and low-carbon development plan during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period in China.

It is widely seen to have become a leader and an early mover in smart and green ports construction, as Qingdao Port independently developed a total of six world-leading technologies such as "hydrogen-powered+5G" and it built an intelligent air-track transport system.

Furthermore, the world's first side-loading and parallel-layout fully automated container terminal was launched at SPG's Rizhao Port. Self-developed by SPG's Bohai Bay Port, the world's first automatic gantry crane was launched. In addition, the group's Yantai Port launched a smart pipeline system.

In January this year, APSN announced the evaluation results of the Green Port Award System program in 2020 and Qingdao Port Dongjiakou Ore Terminal was awarded the title of APSN Green Port.

In his keynote speech to the forum, Li discussed SPG's practices of building smart ports from three aspects: the trends towards smart ports, measures being undertaken at smart ports and the path to smart ports.

He added that going forwards, SPG would assume the roles of being a fundamental pacesetter for smart port ecosystems, a trailblazer for the green environment and as a significant coordinator for industrial ecology.

Li added that SPG stood ready to work together with port-related entities, to accelerate building internationally smart and green ports and to embrace a brighter future for smart ports.