China's first self-built fully automated dock enters operation in Qingdao, Shandong Province

The automated dock phase III of Qingdao port in East China's Shandong Province on Wednesday entered official operation, according to China Media Group, which was China's first self-built fully automated dock.

A total of over 200 loading machines of the automated port can be remotely operated by workers, which can save 80 percent of manpower and lift 30 percent of efficiency over a traditional dock, said the report, noting that the constructors and research team of the dock realized localization across over 28,000 parts.

China has the world's largest foreign trade volume and the largest port by volume of cargo handled. Over 90 percent of China's foreign trade is completed by sea transport. Aside from the large number of sea ports, China is also making efforts to upgrade the intelligentization of sea ports.

The operation of the dock demonstrated a significant breakthrough in China's dock construction sector, and will further lift Qingdao's cargo facilitation capacity, said a report by local media outlet Qilu Evening News.