An aerial view of containers at the fourth phase of the Yangshan Deep-Water Port, the world's largest automated cargo terminal, in Shanghai, April 10, 2018. [Photo/IC]

Jin Xin, a senior software engineer at the Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co born in 1980, has contributed significantly to the construction of China's three automation ports, including the fourth-stage project of Yangshan Deep-Water Port, the world's largest automated cargo wharf that is part of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Jin and his team started on the construction of the Yangshan project in October 2015, and he was in charge of software technology.

To ensure the automated cargo wharf can start operations on time, Jin and his team have conducted careful and thorough analyses, chosen mature technology, made scientific R&D schedules, predicted bottlenecks they may encounter, and even prepared plans for a period of concentrated effort to finish the job.

One of the biggest challenges of the project was its enormous scale, which means the need of a large number of automatic equipment such as 130 automatic guided vehicles (AGV) to deliver containers.

Jin Xin, a senior software engineer at the Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co born has contributed significantly to the construction of the fourth-stage project of Yangshan Deep-Water Port. [Photo/pdtimes.com.cn]

The vehicles require a high-precision control system, otherwise, they may malfunction or cause accidents, Jin explained.

To solve the issue, Jin brainstormed with his colleagues and decided to introduce a special algorithm to simplify calculation to ensure the computer can get the result in a short time and guarantee the safe operation of AGVs.

After the initial preparation, Jin and his colleagues began a month-long intense research and development period of work in an enclosed area at the Yangshan Island. Consequently, the first version of the software system for the project was developed.

They kept upgrading the system at a speed of one new version per month, based on continuous simulation tests, and discussions with users.

Through these methods, they finished the job on time, ahead of the opening of the port in December 2017. Their research period was much shorter than that of similar projects abroad, which can normally take up to three years.

Nowadays, the process of delivering containers from ship to a storage area, and then to the truck is fully automatic, greatly saving labor costs. This process benefited from the software system developed by Jin and his team, which has been regarded as the “brain” of the automated cargo wharf.

Jin said that it's his honor to be able to participate in the construction of Yangshan port, and the job has given him some great experience for his future career.