The world's first whole-system, whole-process and fully automatic control technology for specialized dry bulk terminals is officially launched on Dec 22 at the Yantai Port of SPG. [Photo/WeChat account: Shandong-Port]

The world's first whole-system, whole-process and fully automatic control technology for specialized dry bulk terminals was officially launched on Dec 22 at the Yantai Port of Shandong Port Group, or SPG – one of the world's biggest ports operators, based in Qingdao city in East China's Shandong province.

As a significant subsidiary of SPG, the volume of dry bulk cargo handled at Yantai Port accounts for nearly 50 percent of SPG's total dry bulk throughput. Dubbed the world's biggest 400,000 DWT ore terminal, the Yantai Port's annual bauxite volume has now exceeded 1 billion tons, ranking it first globally.

Previously, because of poor working conditions for dry bulk operations, the high intensity of work and high labor costs, the move towards automated dry bulk terminals assumed great importance.

From the time Yantai Port launched its 400,000 DWT ore terminal, it set the goal of becoming an automated dry bulk terminal.

Thanks to this whole-system, whole-process and fully automatic handling system, Yantai Port has improved its overall handling efficiency by eight percent, shortened the average time spent by vessels at port by six percent and reduced the number of drivers at the port by over 30 percent.