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%.
Technological Self-Reliance: Achieved full domestic production across the entire chain—from sensors and operating systems to control algorithms—breaking foreign monopolies and establishing replicable domestic technical solutions.
Participation in International Standard Setting: Qingdao Port has submitted relevant technical indicators to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), promoting unified global standards for intelligent vessel berthing operations.
V. Future Outlook and Challenges
Despite breakthroughs, intelligent shipping faces challenges: ensuring system reliability in extreme weather (manual override required when visibility <1 nautical mile), reducing retrofitting costs (currently 15–20% of vessel construction), and advancing international regulations and insurance. By 2026, Qingdao Port plans to expand this model to Bohai Bay and the Yangtze River Delta, partnering with universities on cross-modal perception fusion technologies. The goal: build a globally leading intelligent shipping cluster within 3–5 years.
The Zhi Fei demonstrates that China's port intelligence has entered a new phase of systemic coordination, providing replicable “Chinese experience” for upgrading traditional ports worldwide.
