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JINAN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- At Yantai Port in east China's Shandong Province, a fleet of driverless vehicles weaved through a vast lot, lifting and transporting new cars with surgical precision.

This seamless movement is the work of All-Terrain Automated Guided Vehicles (AT-AGVs). "Think of the AT-AGV like a giant claw machine," said Chen Weiru, director of the port's science and technology innovation center.

"Equipped with lidar and millimeter-wave radar, it perceives the vehicles and obstacles, enabling safe autonomous planning, precise path tracking, and accurate loading in diverse scenarios," said Chen.

These intelligent handlers are part of a sweeping transformation at ports across China. Faced with surging volumes of exports, particularly the "new trio" products -- electric vehicles, photovoltaic products and lithium-ion batteries -- ports like Yantai are turning to artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things, and automation to overcome space and labor constraints.

The Yantai Port, as China's major vehicle logistics base and the northern gateway for massive shipments of new energy vehicles and construction machinery vehicles, has introduced a smart logistics system that uses AI and robotics to move vehicles autonomously from dock to ship, boosting efficiency without expanding physical infrastructure.

"We've achieved intelligent operations covering everything from handling, transfer to storage and dispatch," said Wang Yi, technical director at Yantai Port's ro-ro logistics company. "This cuts manpower needs by 60 percent while boosting efficiency by 20 percent, all powered green."

Yantai's green commitment extends beyond automation. Rooftop solar panels blanket port buildings, a 20,000-square-meter array generating 2 million kWh annually. Combined with energy storage, this powers the entire car storage facility and charges the AGVs.

The switch to battery-powered AGVs alone cuts hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxides emissions by over 10 tonnes yearly, said Wang.

Space is also optimized. A multi-storey smart parking system utilizing robotic arms and automated transfers accommodates over 3,000 vehicles within a 15,000-square-meter space, tripling the capacity of a traditional lot and increasing turnover by 20 percent.

This technological wave is rapidly transforming ports across China. At Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the world's busiest port in terms of cargo throughput, bridge cranes handle mountains of freight with around-the-clock efficiency.

Meanwhile, Tianjin Port leverages BeiDou navigation for centimeter-level container precision, reducing handling errors below 0.1 percent. Qingdao runs automated rail-mounted gantry cranes on hydrogen fuel cells.

About 90 percent of China's foreign trade is shipped by sea, said Lin Yikun, an official from the China Communications and Transportation Association, adding that the development of smart ports will enhance operational efficiency and significantly contribute to the growth of China's foreign trade.

As automated terminals powered by 5G and AI proliferate across China, these smart ports are doing more than moving goods faster, said Lai Fengbo, director of the Shandong Transportation and Regional Development Research Center.

They are fundamentally rewriting the rules of global trade, proving that efficiency and environmental stewardship can drive the future of shipping hand in hand, Lai added.