Northern China’s biggest Port, the Qingdao Port, has begun using Beijing’s first automated mooring system, which uses vacuum.
It was first employed on January 1, 2026, to handle a container ship. The unmanned operation took only 30 seconds.
On Thursday morning, a 366 m long container ship with a 16,000 TEU capacity berthed at the port’s quay equipped with the new vacuum mooring system.
Unlike traditional mooring operations, no workers were needed to secure the mooring lines as the system automatically positioned the vessel after identifying it. It also used the vacuum suction pads to attach to its hull, with the whole operation taking less than 30 seconds.
The system not only enhances operational safety but also boosts efficiency.
The 13 mooring units produce a total holding force of 2600 kilonewtons in 30 seconds, shortening the mooring duration for a single ship from half an hour to just 30 seconds, stated Liu Fangchao, Manager from the Engineering Technology Department of Qingdao Port Automated Terminal.
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