The “Zhi Fei,” China's First Commercially Operated Intelligent Container Ship Achieves Fully Unmanned Operations at Qingdao Port
Source: Toutiao
At 7:00 AM on February 21, 2026, the “Zhi Fei,” China's first commercially operational intelligent container ship, successfully completed fully unmanned operations at the automated terminal of Qingdao Port in Shandong Province. This milestone marks China's first achievement in realizing unmanned navigation, berthing, and cargo handling for container vessels, propelling the coordinated development of intelligent shipping and smart ports into a new phase.
I. Core Technological Breakthrough: Tripartite Coordination of Ship-Port-Machinery
Zhi Fei's success lies in complex systems integration, not a single breakthrough. With a domestic intelligent navigation core, it switches between manual, remote, and autonomous modes. Using BeiDou and 5G, it enables transparent navigation within five nautical miles and collision avoidance in 130+ scenarios. A vacuum mooring system cuts berthing time from 20–30 minutes to 30 seconds—a 40-fold gain, saving over 200 hours yearly per berth, adding capacity of 10+ vessels.
II. Intelligent Loading/Unloading Coordination: Millisecond Dual-Brain Synchronization
Following precise vessel positioning, Qingdao Port's automated terminal establishes a "dual-brain coordination" mechanism between its intelligent management and equipment control systems. This enables millisecond-level responses, directing automated cranes and AGVs to execute precise synchronized operations. Optimizing details like lifting device height has cut single-container handling time by 2.2% year-on-year. Gantry crane efficiency hits 62.62 natural containers per hour, with throughput exceeding 320,000 TEUs per 100 meters of quay length—maintaining a globally leading position.
III. Five Years of Technological Accumulation and Milestones
The Zhi Fei, spearheaded by the Water Transport Research Institute of China's Ministry of Transport since 2021, successfully completed sea trials in September that year and entered commercial operation in April 2022. After nearly five years of technological iteration, it achieved fully unmanned operations on February 21, 2026. This milestone signifies the transition of intelligent shipping from “capable operation” to “commercial deployment,” marking a pivotal step in China's intelligent shipping industrialization.
IV. Industry Impact and Strategic Significance
Addressing Labor Shortages and Safety Risks: Global senior seafarer shortage to hit 90,000 by 2026, with 80% of accidents from human error. Unmanned ops cut port personnel by over 70%, reduce accident rates via auto collision avoidance, and boost annual throughput per berth by 15-20%.
Kemandirian Teknologi: Mencapai produksi dalam negeri sepenuhnya di seluruh rantai—dari sensor dan sistem operasi hingga algoritma kontrol—memecahkan monopoli asing dan membangun solusi teknis dalam negeri yang dapat direplikasi.
Partisipasi dalam Penetapan Standar Internasional: Pelabuhan Qingdao telah menyerahkan indikator teknis terkait kepada Organisasi Maritim Internasional (IMO), mempromosikan standar global yang ter统一 untuk operasi sandar kapal yang cerdas.
V. Prospek dan Tantangan Masa Depan
Terlepas dari terobosan yang ada, pelayaran cerdas menghadapi tantangan: memastikan keandalan sistem dalam cuaca ekstrem (pengoperasian manual diperlukan ketika jarak pandang <1 mil laut), mengurangi biaya modifikasi (saat ini 15–20% dari biaya konstruksi kapal), dan memajukan regulasi dan asuransi internasional. Pada tahun 2026, Pelabuhan Qingdao berencana untuk memperluas model ini ke Teluk Bohai dan Delta Sungai Yangtze, bermitra dengan universitas dalam teknologi fusi persepsi lintas moda. Tujuannya: membangun klaster pelayaran cerdas terkemuka di dunia dalam waktu 3–5 tahun.
Zhi Fei menunjukkan bahwa intelijen pelabuhan Tiongkok telah memasuki fase baru koordinasi sistemik, memberikan "pengalaman Tiongkok" yang dapat direplikasi untuk meningkatkan pelabuhan tradisional di seluruh dunia.
