Research on the Construction and Development Mode of
High-Quality Inland "Smart Port" in China
Zilai Cheng and Yongming Zhang
Logistics Engineering Center, China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, Xitucheng Road, Beijing, China
Keywords: High-Quality, Smart Port, Construction and Development Mode.
Abstract: In order to promote the digital and smart transformation, to improve the developing level and synthetical
competitiveness of the inland ports comprehensively, to promote the construction of port-type national
logistical hub and to serve and support the regional economic and social development better, the current
situation of the construction and development of inland ports in China is analyzed and evaluated, the situation
and requirements faced by inland ports is analyzed from the aspects of national strategy, regional economy,
scientific and technological development, etc., and the overall framework for the construction of high-quality
inland "smart port" is studied and proposed. The port "smart brain" is built, its functional modules such as
port intelligent operation monitoring, intelligent production scheduling, intelligent decision support and
digital cockpit are established. And the constructing ideas and functional composition of six smart port
application platforms which includes the comprehensive management platform, production and operation
platform, logistics collaborative application platform, commercial and trade financial service platform,
intelligent safety and environment management platform and customer integrated service platform are put
forward. Through scientific and technological empowerment and innovation drive, the high-quality inland
"smart port" will be constructed to create the first-class facilities, technology, management and service. The
green and safe inland smart port development system will be formatted to promote regional economic and
social development effectively.
1 INTRODUCTION
As a comprehensive transportation hub, port is
strategic resource and important support for
economic and social development, and plays an
important role in regional economic development (Li,
Wang, & Liu, 2020a). Based on modern
infrastructure and equipment, the "smart port" is a
new modern port operational format with distinctive
characteristics such as production intelligence,
management wisdom, service flexibility and strong
guarantee (Yin, 2019). The construction of smart port
will promote the transformation of port business
model and concept innovation, improve the
productive and operational efficiency, operation level
and service quality comprehensively (Gu, 2020) and
reconstruct multi-boundary port ecosystem through
the deep integration of new generation of information
technologies such as cloud computing, big data,
Internet of things, mobile Internet, artificial
intelligence and blockchain with port business, so as
to realize the optimal allocation of port resources,
meet the needs of multi-level, agile and high-quality
port transportation services at a higher level.
There are many rivers and lakes in the inland of
China with more than 160 large and small water
systems. By 2019, the navigation mileage of national
inland has reached 127,300 kilometers, of which 27
provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities
hold the graded navigation channels of 66,700
kilometers and the navigation channels of class III or
above for 13,800 kilometers. The Yangtze River
system, Pearl River system, Heilongjiang River
system, Huaihe River system and inland ports on the
Beijing-Hangzhou Canal are the main inland ports of
China. China has more than 1,200 inland ports of
which 28 are the main inland ports, including Nanjing
Port, Wuhan Port, Chongqing Port, Suzhou Port,
Wuhu Port, Yichang Port and Luzhou Port. The
inland ports are the important parts of Chinese
modern comprehensive transportation system, and
they are also the important hubs for personnel
exchanges and goods circulation of inland navigation
areas (Liu, 2020).
Cheng, Z. and Zhang, Y.
Research on the Construction and Development Mode of High-Quality Inland "Smart Port" in China.
DOI: 10.5220/0012044200003612
In Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Automation, Information and Computing (ISAIC 2022), pages 723-729
ISBN: 978-989-758-622-4; ISSN: 2975-9463
Copyright
c
 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
723

2 ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
OF THE CURRENT SITUATION
OF INLAND PORTS
The inland ports of China are the important
infrastructure for the development of modern
logistics system in inland areas, and also the
important factor for the promotion to the economic
and social development of cities and regions along
rivers. The spatial distribution and construction scale
of inland ports are quite different in the three regions
due to the different navigation conditions and
environment of rivers in eastern, central and western
China. There are a large number of inland ports in the
eastern region which are developing rapidly.
However, the inland ports in the central and western
regions are developing relatively slowly.
Specifically, the section from Nanjing to the
Yangtze River Estuary can meet the all-weather
navigation of 30000 ton seagoing ships and the tide
passage of 50000 ton seagoing ships. At present, the
12.5m deep-water channel of the Yangtze River
Estuary has been extended to Nanjing. The ports from
Nanjing to the Yangtze River Estuary has high-grade
construction, complete facilities and advanced
equipment, which can be comparable to the coastal
ports, and the ports are in a high position in the
regional economic development. For most other
inland ports, due to the limitation of navigation
conditions, the level of wharf construction is low, the
construction funds are tight, the construction speed is
slow, and most port facilities and loading and
unloading technology are backward. Besides, the ship
types of inland river are messy, the average tonnage
is small, the safety performance is poor, the energy
consumption is high, the pollution is relatively large,
and the inland ports do not have a high position in the
local economic development and do not get enough
attention. The main problems of inland ports are as
the followings:
2.1 The Development Is Relatively
Backward and Unbalanced
In addition to some economically developed regions,
such as the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River
Delta, most inland ports in China lag behind the
development of roads and railways and other
transportation facilities. They are faced with
problems such as insufficient funds, small scale and
lack of experience, and they are not given enough
attention in the local economic development. At the
same time, there are problems such as unbalanced
development among regions, between seasons and of
transport capacity.
2.2 Infrastructure Level Is Low
Many old inland ports, especially small and medium-
sized ports, have outdated equipment due to years of
operation, which not only has low work efficiency,
but also the degree of informatization is not high,
which making them not able to meet the requirements
of modern logistics management. If the local
government and port enterprises do not pay attention,
the funds for upgrading facilities will not be
supplemented, and the low logistics efficiency will
lead to less cargo flow, so that the operation and
management of the port will be more and more
difficult.
2.3 The Efficiency of the Collection and
Distribution System Is not High
In the process of transportation from the ports to other
land logistics nodes or the other way around, most
inland ports rely on road transportation for
distribution, and a perfect rail-water intermodal
transportation system has not been formed. Taking a
port in northern China as an example, 67% of the
goods rely on road transportation for distribution,
while the volume of goods transported by railway
accounts for only 2%. The average traffic volume of
highway transportation is smaller than that of railway,
and the unit cost is also higher.
2.4 The Logistics Industry Develops
Slowly and Lacks Modern Ideas
Modern logistics is a new socialized mode of mass
production which combines trade in goods and
services. It is a technology intensive service mode
with wide coverage and high informatization, and it’s
developing into the field of transportation rapidly.
However, at present, most inland ports lack the
concept of modern logistics industry.
2.5 The Comprehensive Service
Capacity Is not High and the
Function Is Simple
After the continuous development, the modern port
can become a comprehensive logistical center with
various logistical, commercial and auxiliary
functions. However, the logistics service of the inland
ports in China has not been developed and improved,
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and there are few ports with such comprehensive
logistics service capacity.
2.6 Some Policy Plans Are
Unreasonable and Lack Stability
The pertinence of some policies is not strong and does
not meet the requirements of the long-term
development of local inland ports. For example, after
several years of use, the freight yards of some inland
ports became too small, which led to replanning. The
imperfect policies will also lead to the unsmooth
organization and coordination between the ports and
the supervision departments, business departments
and other relevant units.
3 SITUATION AND
REQUIREMENTS
The situation and requirements of inland ports are as
the followings:
3.1 The Transformation of Demand
Structure and Developing Mode of
Inland High-Quality Smart Port
Requires the Expansion of the
Scope and Enrichment of the
Content on the Construction
The Chinese government points out that it is
necessary to promote high-quality development by
adhering to the supply side structural reform as the
main line, grasping the position of "pioneer" for
transportation, and promoting the transformation of
transportation development from pursuing speed and
scale to quality and efficiency, from various
independent development to integrated development,
and from relying on traditional factors to paying more
attention to innovation. With the high-quality
development of China's economy, the demand
structure and developing mode of inland ports have
also changed. In terms of port transport demand, it
will show the characteristics of "high base, medium
and low growth speed", which will slow down the
building of new port terminals, increase the
upgrading of old terminals, and adjust the cargo
structure gradually. With the deep adjustment of
industrial structure along the river and the
transformation of urban strategy, the developing
mode of the ports will change from traditional
loading, unloading and transshipment to modern
logistics, multimodal transportation and port-
industry-city integration, etc. Based on this, the
construction and development of China's inland high-
quality smart port, comparing with the traditional port
construction mode oriented by the scale of cargo
throughput, will expand the scope of construction
significantly, and the construction content will be
more diversified, with distinct characteristics in the
stage of high-quality development.
3.2 The Establishment of the Land
Spatial Planning System Requires
that the Construction of
High-Quality Inland Smart Port
Pay More Attention to Multi-Party
Coordination and Integration, and
Support Space Protection and
Development Better
China has established its own land spatial planning
system. Land spatial planning is the guide for national
spatial development, the spatial blueprint for
sustainable development, and the basic basis for
various development, protection and construction
activities. Land space planning is the superior
planning of port planning and construction.
Therefore, the planning, construction and
development of inland high-quality smart port should
pay attention to coordinating the relationship between
ports, cities and industries, formulate the functional
position and developing direction reasonably, and
optimize the strategic space for the coordinated
development of ports, industries and cities.
According to the transportation and functional
requirements of the port under the new situation, the
inland high-quality smart port should build and
configure port operation areas, logistics parks,
collection and distribution facilities and supporting
facilities scientifically, strengthen the linkage with
the ecological red line, basic farmland and other
relevant industries and build an efficient and
collaborative high-quality smart port ecosystem
inside and outside the industry, so as to strengthen the
sustainability and operability of port construction and
development.
3.3 The Deep Integration and
Application of New Generation of
Information Technologies Provide
New Driving Force for the
Development of Inland Ports
The vigorous development of smart port provides
new drive for the construction of high-quality inland
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"smart port", which promotes to realize the overall
and efficient utilization of resources, reducing
transportation costs and becoming more economical.
And the high-quality inland “smart port” can also
make the port infrastructure and operation network
more reliable, and the integrated and intelligent
transportation service more efficient. It can achieve a
higher level of port safety supervision and emergency
rescue, and make the innovative and high value-
added transportation service more agile. Finally, the
high quality inland “smart port” can realize the
sustainable and harmonious development of energy
conservation and environmental protection, making
the port greener.
4 OVERALL FRAMEWORK
Considering the constructing condition and
developing requirements, the overall framework of
high-quality inland "smart port" can be summarized
as "1 pivot, 6 platforms, 1 center and 1 baseplate".
1 pivot, namely the port “smart brain”. Through
the deep integration of new generation of information
technologies with port business (Cai, Cai, & Zheng,
2020), the “smart brain” is built for promoting the
intelligent production, scheduling, decision-making
and service, and realizing the online equipment and
facilities, the integration of terminal management and
control, the intellectualization of yard management
and the automation of terminal operation, improving
the level of process and standardization of port
business management.
6 platforms, namely the smart port application
platforms. Relying on the modern infrastructure and
the supporting system of the port, the port production
and operation platform, comprehensive management
and control platform, logistics coordination platform,
commercial finance platform, smart security platform
and customer service platform are built to realize the
high automation, integration and intellectualization of
the management and wharf operation of the port.
Meanwhile, the whole industrial chain will be highly
interconnected, integrated, collaborative, digital and
intelligent.
1 center, namely the smart port big data center.
Through network interconnection and data sharing, as
well as cross-industry data exchange with the custom,
railway and other industries, and the big data center
including ship dynamics, logistics dynamics, port
production, multimodal transportation, port
supervision and other information is established to
realize data collection, storage and management,
providing users with comprehensive data services
through calculation and processing according to
unified standards and caliber.
1 baseplate, namely the smart port digital
baseplate. Supporting the perception network,
hardware equipment and communication network of
the smart port, the digital baseplate is mainly based
on cloud computing, big data, AI, internet of things,
CCTV and other technologies to provide solid digital,
intelligent and networking environment for the
efficient operation and value-added services in the
whole scene.
5 “SMART BRAIN” OF THE
PORT
"Smart brain" is the "nerve center" of the smart port.
Through the comprehensive application of big data,
cloud computing, BIM, virtual reality, AI, GIS and
other technologies, the intelligent operation digital
command center is built to realize the interactive
visual presentation of port logistics supply chain and
digital command and dispatching management (Fang,
2020). Through the deep integration of information,
technology and business, the “smart brain” will drive
the intelligent management and gather massive data
efficiently. The value of data aggregation and
integration will be shown through the "nerve center"
by integrating the separated data and capabilities of
different industries, so as the role of cross-department
coordination (Huang, 2020).
The main functions of the "smart brain" include
port intelligent operation monitoring, intelligent
production scheduling, intelligent decision support
and digital cockpit.
5.1 Intelligent Operation Monitoring
With the full use of advanced technical means, the
port production and operation will be monitored in
real time through IOT perception, video perception
and data analysis. At the same time, the data models
and algorithms will be used to analyze the current
situation, study the trend, find out the law and form
the basis for decision-making.
5.2 Intelligent Production Scheduling
Based on the BIM platform, the intelligent production
scheduling platform integrating ship scheduling, ship
tracking, production monitoring, production
scheduling, port collection and distribution
scheduling and safety supervision is built, so as to
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realize interactive visual presentation and scheduling
management of port operation, as well as automatic
cruise, scene reproduction and dynamic display of the
whole process.
5.3 Intelligent Decision Support
By integrating and analyzing the data resources of
relevant business systems, based on the digital
baseplate, the “smart brain” focuses on building a
data-driven intelligent decision-making system from
the aspects of production control, financial control,
project engineering control, business intelligence
analysis, etc. to provide support for managers and
decision makers at all levels of the port in terms of
various management and control functions, decision
analysis and suggestions, helping realizing digital and
intelligent production and operation.
5.4 Digital Cockpit
Relying on big data, digital twin, AIS, GIS, 3D and
other technologies, a multi-level digital cockpit is
established to optimize the presentation of various
digital indicators, establish a complete personal and
institutional data account, and create a unified port
logistics data system with full integration. Based on
the overall integration of data resources and
capabilities of all parties in the port and shipping
logistics supply chain, a smart port big data central
platform is established to help construct the port big
data system, and form data fusion and intelligent
application capabilities across regions, industries,
domains and systems.
6 SMART PORT APPLICATION
PLATFORMS
Adhere to the combination of goal and demand
orientation, making full use of "digital +" and
"intelligent +" innovation empowerment, the
production and operation platform, comprehensive
management and control platform, logistics
coordination platform, commercial and financial
platform, smart security platform and comprehensive
customer service platform will be built based on
modern port infrastructure and equipment, so as to
achieve a high degree of automation, integration,
intelligence and unmanned inland port management
and wharf operation and realize the highly
interconnected, integrated, collaborative, digital and
intelligent development of the whole port industry
chain.
6.1 Port Comprehensive Management
Platform
In order to realize the intensive, digital and
collaborative internal management, promote the
integration of internal management system and
information resources and improve the collaborative
application of internal businesses of inland ports
(Ren, 2019), the port comprehensive management
platform integrating office automation, operation
management, financial management, project contract
management, equipment management, human
resource management, customer relationship
management and material management will be
established, so as to realize the digitization and
intellectualization of the whole process of production
operation, operation management and decision-
making. This platform can also improve the digital
and intelligent level of daily operation management,
production statistics and decision-making analysis of
inland ports.
6.2 Port Production and Operation
Platform
Based on the developing concept of "promoting
innovation with service", applying big data intelligent
analysis technology, mobile internet, cloud
computing, automatic control technology and other
means comprehensively (Yuan & Sui, 2022), and
adopting automatic operation equipment, intelligent
mechanical equipment and supporting management
and control software, the full coverage production
and operation platform will be built to realize the
automation and intellectualization of the whole
process of port dispatching, gate operation, plane
transportation and yard operation, and improve the
operating efficiency and productivity of inland ports
comprehensively.
The port production and operation platform
mainly include bulk cargo terminal production
management system and container terminal
production management system. Among them, the
bulk cargo terminal production management system
mainly includes ship management, production
resource management, remote measurement and
other functions. The container terminal production
management system mainly includes ship planning,
intelligent gate, custom supervision and business
intelligence analysis etc...
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6.3 Port Logistics Collaborative
Application Platform
Facing the needs of port logistics supply chain
customers, the inland port logistics collaborative
application platform should be built through the
integration of new information technology and port
logistics business. The platform can promote the
application of park management, multimodal
transport and paperless port documents, to realize the
automatic perception, intelligent operation, business
coordination and service innovation of logistics
business, and provide customers with accurate,
efficient, customized and visual service experience.
Port logistics collaborative application platform
mainly includes logistics park management system,
regional logistics business linkage system, port
supervision support system and multimodal transport
integrated service system. Among them, the logistics
park management system mainly includes freight
management, train loading and unloading plan
management and other functions (Wu, 2021). The
regional logistics business linkage system mainly
includes logistics coordination and business linkage,
logistics resource integration and scheduling and
other functions. The port supervision support system
mainly includes comprehensive declaration of ships,
customs supervision support for wharf operation,
joint declaration of dangerous goods etc...
Multimodal transport integrated service system
mainly includes freight plan declaration, railway plan
approval query and other functions.
6.4 Port Commercial and Financial
Service Platform
Based on the business needs of trade facilitation,
value chain integration and ecological economy of
domestic inland ports, focusing on the smart trading,
bulk materials, financial services and big data
services and other online trading and supporting
services (Li, Wang, & Liu, 2020b), the port
commercial and financial service platform will be
established to promote the efficient operation of
logistical, informational and capital flow in the inland
port commercial and financial ecosystem. The
platform will be oriented to individual and enterprise
users, and realize the business model innovation,
business process reengineering and service
collaborative operation of inland ports.
The port commercial and financial service
platform mainly includes bulk cargo trading system,
supply chain financial system and financial insurance
service system. Among them, the bulk cargo trading
system mainly includes industry information release,
comprehensive information query and other
functions. Supply chain financial system mainly
includes plan management, process control and other
functions. The financial insurance service system
mainly includes information query and other
functions.
6.5 Port Smart Safety and
Environment Management
Platform
Focusing on achieving the objectives of prevention,
control and emergency response with minimum civil
defense investment, perfect physical defense facilities
and efficient and accurate technical defense means
(Wang & Wang, 2021), a unified and shared port
smart safety and environment management platform
should be built to establish a three-dimensional and
intelligent control system linking all port areas. This
platform can improve the management
responsibilities and standard system by highlighting
key points, hierarchical control and division of
responsibilities, so as to provide technical support for
the construction of safe and green inland ports.
Port smart safety and environment management
platform mainly consists of port production safety
monitoring system, green port control system and
port equipment intelligent monitoring system.
Among them, the port production safety monitoring
system mainly includes safety production
visualization, major hazard source monitoring and
early warning and other functions. The green port
management and control system mainly includes
basic data parameter configuration, real-time
monitoring of energy consumption and other
functions. Port equipment intelligent monitoring
system mainly includes equipment management,
remote monitoring of equipment safety status and
other functions.
6.6 Port Integrated Customer Service
Platform
The competition between ports is mainly the
competition of economic hinterland and supply, that
is, the competition of customer resources. With the
construction and development of inland ports in
China and the deepening of marketization, the
competition and cooperation situation between inland
ports has become more prominent. Inland ports
should regard customer resources as important
strategic resources, attach great importance to the
service experience of terminal shippers and logistics
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participants, and create first-class customer service to
strengthen cooperation with many stakeholders
through the construction of integrated customer
service platform. With the building of the platform, it
can also promote service agility and trade facilitation,
and provide all-weather and all-round interactive
services to ensure convenient and reliable services.
Port integrated customer service platform
mainly consists of port and shipping customer
integrated service system, customer call service
system and mobile application service system.
Among them, the port and shipping customer
integrated service system mainly includes business
acceptance, online business operation and other
functions. Customer call service system mainly
includes one key call service, online message service
and other functions. Internet mobile application
system mainly realizes the extension of customer
comprehensive service to mobile terminal.
7 CONCLUSION
Through the construction in the next 10-20 years,
China's inland ports will realize the deep integration
of the new generation of information technologies
and port production and operation processes, so that
the port production, management and services can
fully realize informatization, digitization and
intellectualization. The port production and operation
segments such as ship berthing and departure, cargo
loading and unloading, passenger arrival and
departure are highly coordinated (Hou, Zhuang, Shi,
& Wan, 2020), the port production efficiency, safety
and environmental protection level will be
significantly improved, and the operating cost will be
reasonably reduced. The smart port construction will
fully realize the comprehensive perception of
elements, sharing of information, intelligence of
production and high-quality services (Wang, 2020),
and promote the fundamental transformation of
inland port production and operation from business
process type to accurate digital type and then to agile
smart type.
At the same time, the construction of China's
inland high-quality smart port will breed more
modern inland ports with extensive network coverage
and high flexibility (Peng, 2020), guided by
knowledge and intelligence, based on advanced
information and intelligent technologies, and form a
high-quality "smart port" developing pattern of
"global perception of information, comprehensive
intelligence of production, full analysis of decision-
making, transparency of service and full-time
interconnection", supporting regional economic and
social development efficiently.
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