China has completed the first full-process unmanned operation of a container vessel, covering navigation, berthing and cargo handling on Saturday.

The smart container ship "Zhi Fei" (meaning intelligent navigation) docked autonomously at an automated terminal in Qingdao Port in east China's Shandong Province.

After berthing, a vacuum-based automatic mooring system, equipped with suction pads that firmly secure the vessel's hull, secured the vessel in less than 30 seconds, removing the need for manual line handling.

Automated loading and unloading equipment at the terminal then began operations under the coordination of a domestically-developed terminal operating system (A-TOS) and equipment control system (A-ECS).

The systems directed quay cranes and guided vehicles to complete container handling tasks with millisecond-level response times.

The "Zhi Fei" container ship, China's first smart container ship to enter commercial service, is equipped with a domestically-developed intelligent navigation system.

It supports three operating modes: manual control, remote control and autonomous navigation.