Greener, smarter operations help power China's foreign trade at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port

(ECNS) -- A shift to greener, smarter operations is helping power China’s foreign trade at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang Province, as one of the world's busiest shipping hubs steps up efforts to cut emissions and modernize its operations.

At the port's Meishan terminal, five wind turbines, each with an installed capacity of 6.25 megawatts, generated 37 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2025, equivalent to about one-third of the terminal's annual power consumption, said Hu Linjie, an employee of Ningbo Meidong Container Terminal Co.

The terminal also generated 2 million kWh of solar power last year. More than 75% of the electricity produced by its wind and solar facilities was used on site, helping reduce carbon emissions by about 16,000 tonnes annually.

Meishan, one of the key terminals at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang, is the province's first "green electricity terminal". It has introduced an integrated energy system combining wind and solar power with energy storage, while electrifying cargo-handling equipment and extending shore power facilities to all berths.

The shift towards greener operations is part of a broader effort to modernize the port, which handled 1.432 billion tonnes of cargo in 2025, retaining its position as the world's largest port by cargo throughput for the 17th consecutive year. Located on the East China Sea coast, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port comprises 20 port areas and is served by 309 container shipping routes linking it to more than 200 countries and regions.

Alongside its green transition, the port is upgrading its operations through automation. Meishan now operates 38 remotely controlled quay cranes, 137 remotely controlled yard cranes and 130 intelligent container trucks, forming the world's largest cluster of automated port equipment.

The transition has not been without challenges. Retrofitting conventional equipment for remote operation has involved safety risks and repeated technical adjustments, Hu said.

"Converting conventional equipment for remote-controlled automated operations involves safety risks, and some equipment structures have had to be adjusted repeatedly," he said, adding that he hoped the port's experience could provide a practical model for other ports pursuing similar upgrades.

One of the most challenging aspects has been enabling autonomous and manually driven container trucks to operate side by side in the same areas. The system is supported by the port's independently developed n-TOS and iECS operating systems, as well as an Internet of Things network using 5G, high-precision BeiDou positioning and vehicle-road coordination technologies.

The port's green and smart transformation will be a focus of the 2026 World Mayors Dialogue in Ningbo, running from Nov. 2 to 5.

The port visit will give participants a firsthand look at how renewable energy, automated cargo handling and smart transport systems are reshaping port operations and connecting cities with global markets.

(By Zhang Dongfang)