Photo: Xinhua

QINGDAO, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- A new container transport system featuring a sky rail is being built at the Qingdao Port in east China's Shandong Province, which is expected to greatly cut logistics costs, reduce vehicular emissions and improve logistics efficiency.

Developed by the Qingdao Port in cooperation with CRRC Yangtze Co., Ltd., the new system will be built in the port's automated container terminal and the entire line will be 9.5 km long.

The first of its kind in the global port industry, the unmanned container transport system will replace trucks for the transportation of containers at the port upon completion, according to its developers.

The cargo handling capacity of the new system can reach nearly four to five times that of road transport, sources with the company said.

The first phase of the project will be put into operation in June next year.  The annual transportation capacity will reach 1.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units after the completion of the entire system, according to the port.