The fully automated Nansha Phase IV Terminal of Guangzhou Port has recently passed the on-site assessment for the four-star "China Green Port" rating. Following a comprehensive evaluation, the expert panel unanimously concluded that Nansha Phase IV has successfully passed the on-site assessment. Since 2020, Phases I, II, and III of the Nansha Port Area have each been awarded the four-star rating, and with Phase IV’s successful assessment, all container terminals in the area now achieve full four-star “China Green Port” coverage. This milestone represents steady progress toward Nansha Port’s goal of becoming a world-class smart and green port, setting a new benchmark for green and low-carbon transformation in the port sector of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

 

Leveraging the Pearl River’s water system and the Nansha Port Railway, Nansha Phase IV has developed an integrated river-sea-rail multimodal transport system. To meet "water-to-water" transshipment needs, it has innovated a "parallel yard layout + side-loading" approach, significantly reducing carbon emissions at the logistics source. In terms of full electrification, the terminal has achieved 100% electrification of its handling equipment, incorporating a range of energy-saving technologies that have delivered tangible results. For instance, quay cranes equipped with energy feedback systems have cut energy consumption by over 10%, while fully electric, driverless IGVs (Intelligent Guided Vehicles) have reduced annual CO2 emissions by approximately 13,000 tons. Optimized strategies for rail-mounted gantry cranes have kept the re-handling rate below 5%, boosting operational efficiency by about 7%. Additionally, the yard has installed LED fixtures supported by a smart lighting system, saving around 60% of lighting energy and enabling "dark terminal" operations at night.

 

Nansha Phase IV also embraces the "sponge port" concept, incorporating rainwater and sewage separation. 100% of reclaimed water is recycled for uses such as road sprinkling and irrigation, while the port’s green area spans approximately 31,000 m2, with greening coverage exceeding 80% in the auxiliary areas. This has established a sustainable model that integrates ecological protection and resource cycling. As of 2025, the port achieved a green power utilization rate exceeding 90% and obtained green power certificate transaction records. Distributed photovoltaic systems and a smart energy management system have been fully implemented, alongside 100% shore power coverage at berths. The "connection-as-required" rate for shore power at seagoing vessel berths reached 97.6% in 2025.

 

As the first fully automated terminal in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Nansha Phase IV deeply implements the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on "striving to build a world-class smart port and green port." With smart empowerment as the core, technological carbon reduction as the key lever, and ecological priority as the guide, the terminal comprehensively advances green port construction. By focusing on optimizing the collection and distribution transport system, energy-saving equipment transformation, resource recycling, and clean energy application, it has delivered a remarkable green development report.(Picture & Text | He Jialin)