The Central Operating Area of Zhoukou Port’s Central Port Zone in Henan Province formally commenced operations on December 24, launching the province’s first dedicated container terminal with an annual handling capacity of one million TEUs, according to ZPMC.
The terminal was opened together with twelve automated port cranes and an integrated automation system custom-built by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
The project is a flagship element of Henan Province’s “11246” inland waterway development initiative and is intended to serve as a logistics hub linking central and western China with the Yangtze River Delta.
The Central Operating Area comprises 13 berths designed to handle vessels of up to 2,000 tons and has a planned annual throughput of 1.075 million TEUs.
Once fully operational, Zhoukou Port is expected to operate as a specialized, hub-oriented multimodal port serving domestic demand and connections to global markets.
The project is positioned as a model for the digitalization, automation, and scaling of inland waterway shipping under inland river operating conditions.
As equipment and smart-systems provider, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. developed six ship-to-shore cranes and six rail-mounted gantry cranes adapted for inland waterways.
The ship-to-shore cranes use lightweight structural designs with reduced wind-load profiles, while the rail-mounted gantry cranes apply an “8-rope 2.0” anti-sway system, enabling a single-cycle operation time of 120 seconds.
An integrated automation system covers terminal management and control across vessel operations, horizontal transport, and yard management.
Following commissioning, productivity of the ship-to-shore cranes at Zhoukou Port is expected to increase by 30 percent, with each crane designed to handle up to 120,000 TEUs annually.
Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is a Chinese manufacturing enterprise specializing in port machinery, heavy equipment, and related automation and control systems. The company operates as an integrated supplier covering design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning of large-scale port and marine equipment.
Zhoukou Port is an inland port located in Henan Province and is developed as part of the province’s inland waterway infrastructure program. Its Central Port Zone is planned as a multimodal logistics facility integrating river transport with broader domestic and international cargo flows.
Source: Port News
