China is moving full speed ahead in transforming its ports into greener and smarter hubs, building or planning more automated terminals than any other country. A new generation of near-zero-carbon ports is also emerging, as the country seeks to lead the world in port innovation and sustainability.

From January to April, Chinese ports handled 110 million containers, up 7.9 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

At the forefront is Tianjin Port, which built the world's first "smart zero-carbon" terminal in just 21 months. The terminal began operation in October 2021 and is powered by technologies including big data, artificial intelligence and 5G. It operates with high efficiency and minimal environmental impact, and has received top national honors for both smart and green performance. It is now considered a replicable model for other ports.

"This project is leading the global shift toward smarter, low-carbon port development," said Qu Ming, a senior official at Tianjin Port responsible for digital transformation.