Shihu Port in Quanzhou Embraces Digital Future

Shihu Port in Quanzhou, southeast China’s Fujian Province, a historic departure point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, is fast-tracking its digital transformation to improve logistics efficiency and regional connectivity. As the port upgrades its infrastructure with smart technologies, it offers a compelling case in the modernization of China’s coastal gateways.

Inside the port’s control center, a wall of screens displays live footage of cargo operations, vehicle dispatch, and customs clearance. “It used to take several minutes and manual checks for trucks to enter,” said Huang Jingsheng, head of port operations. “Now, with smart gates and automatic scanning, the entire process, from weighing to registration, takes only 12 to 13 seconds.”

Beyond access control, the port has rolled out digital tools. Businesses can file shipping documents online, receive approvals in real time, and print customs certificates directly from the system, which helps cut clearance time by more than half and reducing staffing needs.

The digital transformation also covers cargo coordination. Currently in pilot operation, driverless container vehicles (DCVs) are designed to improve both efficiency and safety in high-frequency cargo transfer areas.

These autonomous trucks follow preset routes using sensors, GPS, and onboard cameras, while their movements are remotely tracked via a central platform. The port has deployed a fleet of DCVs in selected zones, where they now operate 24/7 under both daylight and low-light conditions.

The digital upgrades have also translated into measurable performance gains. Shihu Port’s quay crane productivity has reached 32.6 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) per hour, and average cargo dwell time has been shortened by 40% since the implementation of intelligent systems .

These efforts are in line with a broader push to build the Digital Silk Road. On July 24, Quanzhou hosted the World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum, which brought together over 600 guests from 49 countries and regions under the theme “Embracing the Digital and Intelligent Maritime Silk Road — Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace.”