5G+ + Driving Smart Port Upgrades
Xu Mengqiang, General Manager, China Mobile Ningbo, Zhejiang
th
24 June 2020
A Port to the World
Ningbo is located in the southeast coast of the Chinese mainland and in the south of the Yangtze
River Delta, one of the most economically developed regions in China. Once a key port on the
ancient Maritime Silk Road, Ningbo’s ports have always played an important role in its economic
prosperity. It was China's earliest port to open to the outside world, and is currently a primary hub
of the Belt and Road Initiative. Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is currently the largest port in the world.
Cargo throughput: 1.119 billion tons in 2019; the world's only
super port with annual throughput of over 1.1 billion tons,
world's No. 1 port for 11 consecutive years
Container throughput: >27.53 million TEUs in 2019; ranked
3rd globally; one of the must-visit home ports for the world's
largest shipping companies
International routes: >240 routes, connecting over 600 ports
in more than 190 countries and regions; one of the busiest
ports in the world
The Need to Transform
The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is currently transforming from just a large port to a global,
first-class port. A complete transformation is needed to address its many challenges from
efficiency, cost, safety & security, etc.
Efficiency Cost Safety & security
Freight pressure: Urgent optimization needed for Fierce competition: Conglomerate competition and Personnel safety: High pressure is placed on
larger vessels and overall operational efficiency cost problems exacerbated by COVID-19 frontline personnel to prevent safety accidents
Customs clearance efficiency: Intelligent/Info- Labor costs: Increasing every year, accounting for a Equipment safety: For many mobile equipment,
based cargo handling efficiency and capacity large proportion of overall capital expenditure operation blind spots and driver error present
improvements urgently needed Cargo handling costs: Increasing every year from substantial safety risks
Collaboration: Intelligent operation flows urgently depreciation of port equipment, fuel consumption, Information security: Safeguards against production
needed to improve perception and collaboration etc. as throughput increases data leaks, hacks, etc. urgently needed
between the port's productive factors
5G Enablement
The explosive growth of 5G applications in 2020 is proving it can be an accelerator for
smart port upgrades, through innovative integration with AICDES, based on its 3 basic
capabilities and 3 enhanced capabilities
Higher experienced rate Higher connection density Video Remote Autonomous Integrated High-precision
100x of 4G 1 million/km2 backhaul control driving scheduling positioning
(0.1–1 Gbit/s)
Lower air interface
Higher flow density latency
(10–100 Tbit/s/km2) 1/10 of 4G
(1ms)
Higher peak rate Faster mobility
Combination
20x of 4G 4x of 4G
(10–20 Gbit/s) Energy (500+ km/h)
AI IoT Cloud Data Edge Security
efficiency
Spectrum efficiency Cost efficiency
High Low Massive Edge Network NR
speed latency connectivity computing slicing positioning
Win-win Partnerships
• September 2018, Smart City Expo in Ningbo: Zhejiang Seaport • May 2020, 5G+ Action Promotion Conference: Signing ceremony
and China Mobile Zhejiang 5G smart port strategic cooperation for the Zhejiang Seaport, China Mobile Zhejiang, Huawei, and
agreement signing ceremony Zhenhua Heavy Industries strategic cooperation agreement on
5G-powered smart port applications in the Meishan Port Area.
The Approach
China Mobile Ningbo's "365" approach: Making Ningbo-Zhoushan Port a 5G-powered
smart port
One of China Mobile's leading demonstration projects and model use cases
3 goals 6 capabilities 5 scenarios
Higher efficiency AI Remotely controlled
rubber-tired gantry crane
IoT Horizontal transport
container truck
Cloud
Lower labor costs Bridge crane intelligent
Data tally
Assisted berthing
Edge
Better security Coordinated scheduling
Security of port operations
Network Coverage
Building a smart port starts with the network. China Mobile Ningbo was among the first in China
to deploy 5G macro base stations in harbor areas. It has already built a 5G B.E.S.T. network that
supports both 2.6 GHz and 4.9 GHz bands and plans to deploy more 5G base stations that
support low frequency bands. This will build out the critical infrastructure that underpins a 5G-
powered smart port.
• 5G base
Zhenhai Harbor Area
stations 58
Beilun Harbor Area Daxie Harbor Area
Chuanshan
Harbor Area
• Harbor areas 5
• Berths 35
Meishan
Harbor Area • Container
yards 77
Core Capability
China Mobile Ningbo deployed China's first mobile edge computing (MEC) server for ports
and was among the world's first to customize 5G slicing. This delivers two key advantages
for remotely controlled 5G pantry cranes: 1. low latency transport of PLC heartbeat
packets; 2. large uplink bandwidth for videos.
SA core network slice Internet
Gantry Control center
crane
Aggregation
CPE 1 MEC switch
AR client
Switch
CPE 2 5G base station
Public network data Slice 1: PLC data
MEC traffic distribution data Slice 2: Video and other data
Superior Performance
Conducted new technology trials to explore new smart port 5G applications. Make the
most of 5G's low latency, large bandwidth, and high reliability to meet the explosive
demand for applications.
Low Large uplink High
latency bandwidth reliability
7ms 747 Mbit/s 24/7
Near theoretically World's first 4.9G 3U1D Supporting 5G-enabled
lowest round-trip technology pilot, supporting remote control of rubber-
latency possible operations of six gantry cranes tired gantry cranes at ports
High Security and Reliability
Assessed cyber security of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and launched the "Powered by SA:
China Mobile Smart Port MEC Security Application" project, which became the only 5G use
case incorporated in GSMA's Powered-by-SA Use Case Repository
Changes in 5G infrastructure and Build service-centric and risk-informed
services bring E2E security management and control
new risks and challenges system
More service scenarios Deeply integrate Detect security
with industrial risks in new
infrastructure forms
Complex network structure
More security risks
Establish a
Develop a
collaboration
mechanism for holistic security
More difficult to manage security management solution
Self-service Purchase
Atomic-level capabilities are encapsulated into a standard set of API-based slice products on China
Mobile Zhejiang's 5G online store. Users can select the slices they need, customize specifications,
place orders with one click, and activate services online. In addition, users can obtain network SLA
monitoring data in real time on the self-service page.
1 2 3 4
Click "Order Configure slice Slice activation
SLA indicators
Now" parameters and provisioning
Application | 5G-powered Remote Control of
Rubber-tired Gantry Cranes
In April 2019, China Mobile Ningbo and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port jointly developed China's first 5G
remote control application for rubber-tired gantry cranes. This application enables real-time
backhaul of 16-channel HD videos and remote control of gantry cranes. In May 2020, 6 5G-powered,
remotely controlled gantry crane clusters were put into production, the largest scale of its kind in
China. Next, they will promote the development of industry standards for 5G rubber-tired gantry
crane remote control systems.
Pain points 5G-powered remote control for gantry cranes
Poor
environment High cost
SA Slice MEC
Low efficiency
Difficult to Short
Efficiency: ↑260% Labor cost: ↓70%
manage lifespan
Application | Self-driving 5G Container Trucks
In May 2020, China Mobile Ningbo deployed 5G-powered Beidou reference stations,
utilizing 5G, V2X, and high-precision positioning technologies. This enabled an end-to-
end integrated network covering Meishan Harbor Area's container trucks, mobile port
equipment, and the road, allowing existing trucks to be repurposed as self-driving
container trucks.
Pain points Self-driving 5G container trucks
Security accidents
High cost C-V2X MEC Beidou AI
Skilled labor
requirements
Driver Difficult
Labor cost: ↓ 50% Operational efficiency: ↑ 40%
fatigue scheduling
Application | 5G-powered Intelligent Tally
In December 2019, China Mobile Ningbo backhauled Ningbo-Zhoushan Port's HD videos
of quay cranes in real time with 5G, AI, and cloud computing technologies. This
improved container identification accuracy and reduced the manpower needed to
conduct onsite tallies by automatically identifying container numbers and container
damage.
Pain points 5G-powered intelligent tally
Poor High labor costs
environments Cloud
5G AI computing
(on ship) High error
High-intensity rates
work
Difficult to Container number identification accuracy: 95%
manage High security risks
Application | 5G-powered Assisted Berthing
China Mobile Ningbo supports efficient assisted berthing by increasing the berth
coverage through low-frequency 5G, high-precision positioning, and laser technologies.
Pilot officers can use 5G-powered pilot scheduling devices to obtain the dynamic data
about ships and the environment up to 1,500 meters away from the berth.
Pain points 5G-powered assisted berthing
Short transmission distance 5G Positioning Lasers
(700 MHz)
Unstable signals
High latency Long-distance Real-time Fast data
coverage positioning communication
Application | Integrated 5G-powered Scheduling
China Mobile Ningbo is building an integrated 5G-powered scheduling application at the
Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. The 5G-powered and cloud-based intercom platform will enable
frontline operation personnel and background scheduling personnel to see and talk with
each other more easily, making remote scheduling and command more efficient.
Pain points Integrated 5G-powered scheduling
Poor interoperability
Cloud
Difficult O&M computing
GIS Positioning
Huge Limited devices
investment
Poor
Small private
collaboration 500-channel Video Real-time personnel
network coverage voice intercom intercom positioning
Future Outlook
China Mobile Ningbo will continuously work with partners to drive transformation and upgrades
at smart ports through 5G and other new technologies and applications. The "5G+ smart port"
system combines solutions for ground, sea, sky, and space. We hope that this reliable, efficient,
and easy-to-maintain system will turn the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port into a global commercial
showcase for 5G-powered smart port solutions, sharing our experience in smart port
development worldwide.
Space:
BeiDou + 5G high-precision
positioning
Sky:
Drone patrols
Ocean
Unmanned piloting and assisted
berthing
Ground
Remotely controlled gantry cranes, bridge
cranes, intelligent tally, and self-driving
container trucks
A Shining Beacon in the Distance
The vision of world-leading 5G-powered smart ports in Ningbo
shines bright in the distance, penetrating even the thickest fog.
We will march towards the light unceasingly, hand-in-hand with
our partners.
Thank You!
