An aerial view of Dapukou container terminal. [Photo/www.wifizs.cn]

The gantry cranes at Dapukou container terminal in the Jintang port area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, East China's Zhejiang province, have been busy, with annual throughput surpassing 3 million twenty-foot equivalent units for the first time. This marks an increase of over 1 million TEUs from the same period last year, representing more than 50 percent year-on-year growth.

In 2025, the terminal achieved remarkable progress both at sea and on land. It added eight new international shipping routes, bringing the total to 53, and handled 3,297 vessel calls, up 32 percent year-on-year, including 1,593 foreign vessels, an increase of 41 percent. Meanwhile, 1.4 million TEUs were moved by land transport, up 49 percent, further expanding hinterland coverage.

Overall berth productivity has increased by more than 17 percent year-over-year, with the terminal setting a single-day throughput record of 19,500 TEUs.

Digital and intelligent upgrades have been key drivers of this growth. All 22 quay cranes now operate remotely, while 64 automated rail-mounted gantry cranes and 117 driverless container trucks work in coordinated clusters. Smart locking stations cover all port areas, enabling a fully automated system that integrates rail cranes, unmanned trucks, and remote-controlled quay cranes. So far this year, unmanned trucks have moved 835,000 TEUs, up 57 percent, supporting efficient, all-weather operations across eight mixed-traffic routes.