COSCO Shipping Ports Deploys 34 Remote-Operated Gantry Cranes at Terminal 8, Handling 70% of Yard Operations
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
COSCO Shipping Ports Limited (stock code: 1199) conducted a reverse roadshow in Hong Kong on September 23, 2025, showcasing its Terminal 8 facility at Kwai Chung. The port operator revealed that 34 remotely-operated gantry cranes have been commissioned, handling 70 percent of the terminal yard's workload. The company plans to progressively transform its remaining 27 traditional manpower-operated gantry cranes according to operational needs.
Key Points
- Operations Director Ying Renjie (應仁傑) stated that 34 remotely-operated gantry cranes are now operational at Terminal 8, processing 70 percent of the yard's workload
- Under the remote operation mode, a single operator can manage three cranes simultaneously, achieving over 50 percent in labor cost savings while enabling uninterrupted 24-hour operations
- The company currently has 6 autonomous tractors (AT) deployed for barge operations, with plans to expand to ocean-going vessel operations by 2027 and reach 50 driverless tractors by 2030
- Terminal 8 comprises 4 berths with main line and barge berth lengths of 1,380 meters and 448 meters respectively, covering a yard area of 58.54 hectares
- From January to August 2025, Terminal 8 handled 1.44 million TEU, representing a 3.6 percent year-on-year increase, with August alone surging 18.7 percent year-on-year
Why It Matters
COSCO Shipping Ports' automation trajectory positions Hong Kong's Terminal 8 to remain competitive against the expanding port cluster in the Greater Bay Area, while its carbon emission reduction to 25 percent below 2021 levels positions the terminal to exceed its 2030 target of 30 percent reduction ahead of schedule. The deployment of remotely-operated equipment addresses Hong Kong's port labor shortage challenges while maintaining operational resilience against extreme weather events that increasingly disrupt port logistics in the region .
COSCO Shipping Ports' automation trajectory positions Hong Kong's Terminal 8 to remain competitive against the expanding port cluster in the Greater Bay Area, while its carbon emission reduction to 25 percent below 2021 levels positions the terminal to exceed its 2030 target of 30 percent reduction ahead of schedule. The deployment of remotely-operated equipment addresses Hong Kong's port labor shortage challenges while maintaining operational resilience against extreme weather events that increasingly disrupt port logistics in the region .