To align with the global trend of smart port upgrading and seize opportunities under the national transport development pilot scheme, Guangzhou Port Group delivered an intelligent transformation at Nansha Grain & General Terminal to address long-standing industry challenges of conventional bulk grain terminals, including heavy labor reliance, limited automation, severe hazards from high temperature and dust, and inefficient resource allocation.
As the sole pilot project in Guangdong Province under the Ministry of Transport’s Port Function Optimization Initiative, the transformation integrated automatic control, digital twin, robotics, AI and machine vision technologies to fully upgrade cargo-handling machinery, power supply systems and management platforms across Berths 6–8. Self-developed intelligent algorithms enabled original technical breakthroughs in synchronized multi-machine ship unloading, adaptive barge loading and live-line robot inspection for power substations. Post-upgrade, the terminal’s annual throughput rose from 4 million tons to 4.5 million tons, overall operational efficiency grew by 20%, labor costs were cut by 79%, and equipment availability reached 98.4%, greatly mitigating frontline operational risks.
Powered by an in-house full-process intelligent management platform, unmanned cargo transfer from ocean-going vessels to barges is realized, replacing manual scheduling with AI-driven decision-making. The project holds 3 invention patents, 8 utility model patents and 1 software copyright. As the first large-scale fully automated bulk grain terminal of its kind, it creates a replicable “Guangzhou Model” and sets a benchmark for the digital, high-quality development of grain-handling ports worldwide.