Keywords

1 Introduction

In the past ten years, Zhejiang ports have experienced rapid development. In 2011, the total cargo throughput of ports in Zhejiang Province was 1.22 billion tons, of which the inland ports cargo throughput was 350 million tons. By 2021, the cargo throughput of ports in the whole province had reached 1.93 billion tons, of which the inland ports cargo throughput was 440 million tons and ranked the fourth in China (China Ports & Harbors Association 2021). After nearly ten years of large-scale expansion, with the continuous improvement of the requirements of internal and external freight transport quality, the port gradually expanded from scale expansion to transformation and upgrading, and entered a new stage of integration with various modes of transportation, such as railways, aviation, and highways (Liu 2014; Li 2021; Liu 2021). Under this background, the Zhejiang Province has issued the Plan for Accelerating the Development and Construction of the “Four-port Linkage” of the Seaports, Dry ports, Airports and Infoport, and proposed the mechanism of the “Four-port Linkage” with the seaports (including inland ports) as the leader, dry ports as the basis, airports as the characteristics and infoport as the link. Important contents include improving the basic service system of sea-river intermodal transport and optimizing the inland waterway network for sea-river intermodal transport. “Four-port Linkage” puts forward higher level requirements for Zhejiang inland shipping development in the fields of smart port, smart channel, smart logistics, smart service, and smart supervision (Mao 2019; Li 2021).

In May 2020, the Ministry of Transport issued the Outline for Inland River Shipping Development, pointing out that it is necessary to improve the service level of sea-river intermodal transport, strengthen sharing resources and information, and vigorously develop multimodal transport centering on ports and one-stop logistics. Also, it requires the use of big data, block chain and other information technology to realize efficient and convenient services of intelligent and comprehensive information, and establish a port economic ecosystem with multiple resources. With the navigation of a series of high-grade channels such as Hangpingshen Canal, Qiantang River, Hangzhou-Ningbo Canal and Oujiang River, the goal of inland shipping revival of “Upgrading north, unblocking south, opening east and revitalizing west” in Zhejiang Province has been basically realized, and all 11 cities in Zhejiang province are connected to the river and the sea, providing powerful facilities guarantee for the development of smart inland shipping in Zhejiang Province. From the view of industry development, with the rapid development of new technologies such as 5G and IoT, transportation industry will be deeply integrated with modern information technology. New changes will be presented in the big data platform for inland shipping business, the information level of inland port terminals and shipping infrastructure, and the innovation of intelligent shipping technology.

2 Integrating “Four-Port Linkage” Information to Develop a Comprehensive Big Data Platform for Zhejiang Inland Shipping

2.1 Develop Comprehensive Big Data Platform for Inland Shipping Across the Province

Actively plan the construction of “four-port linkage” comprehensive transportation big data basic exchange and service platform, develop comprehensive big data platform for inland shipping across the province, and serve as an important sub platform for port and shipping information management system in the province. This platform 1) covers the port and waterway infrastructure, monitoring and control, production operation and logistics services of the inland river ports in the whole province, 2) promotes the digital management of planning, investment, construction, maintenance and approval of inland river shipping facilities in the province, 3) improves the informatization monitoring and control level of inland shipping enterprises operation quality and safety risk across the province, 4) promotes the resource coordination and dispatching cooperation, business linkage and information sharing, 5) strengthens the connectivity of public logistics information of inland river ports, trade, logistics enterprises, highway-railway-waterway intermodal transportation networks in the province and 6) and forms a comprehensive inland river shipping data warehouse across the province.

2.2 Develop a Dynamic Information Collection Mechanism Shared by the Government and Enterprises

The platform is used to 1) collect the dynamic port-related logistics data, 2) develop a long-term and stable data collection cooperation relationship between port related enterprises, 3) cooperate and guide the government to formulate a data sharing mechanism, 4) collect the information of port-related logistics resource and 5) obtain the information of terminal operation, yard status, ships, sources of goods, customs clearance, market dynamics, industry news and ship lock status etc. provided by the port, shipping company, cargo owner, government, ship lock and other subjects, assisting cargo owner, freight forwarders and carriers to achieve demand supply matching. Form a unified, stable and structured inland shipping data management scheme, so that the historical data in multiple fields can be queried and tracked.

2.3 Develop a Dynamic Application Mechanism for Inland Shipping Data

According to the needs of management and monitoring, the platform is used for 1) directional analysis and research of inland shipping big data and 2) applying artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data mining, data visualization and other technologies to carry out massive data modeling and calculation, so as to provide data and information support for production planning, industry supervision, decision analysis, etc., and carry out data innovation services for port planning, path optimization, flow direction analysis, capacity analysis, safety early warning, precision marketing, credit investigation services, etc. (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1.
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The structure of comprehensive big data platform for Zhejiang inland shipping based on integrating “four-port linkage” information.

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3 Developing a Multimodal Transport Information System for Inland Ports Focusing on Sea-River Intermodal Transport

3.1 Develop Sea-River Intermodal Transport Information System

Participate in the construction of “four-port linkage” bulk cargo and container intermodal transport information exchange hub with seaports (including inland ports) as the core, highlight container and bulk cargo logistics, and develop sea-river intermodal transport service information system. Based on the information interconnection standards such as interconnection document and data query standards formed by seaports, inland ports and freight forwarders, the system 1) integrates document flow, cargo logistics and information flow, 2) carries out sea-river intermodal transport business handling services, and 3) promotes the online handling of inland river transit shipping agency, container and bulk cargo transit agency, inland river cargo agency, barge handling, pre-allocation manifest, customs declaration and clearance, so as to promote the sharing of business information and data between seaports and inland ports, and provide one-stop inquiry service of whole process logistics information.

3.2 Promote Comprehensive Connectivity of Inland Ports with Seaports, Dry Ports, and Airports

Carry out multimodal transport services in inland ports, and provide users with “door-to-door” whole process logistics and transportation services such as railway-watery, highway-waterway, sea-river and air-waterway intermodal transport, and inland river transit. Based on the comprehensive big data platform of inland shipping across the province and the Intelligent Cloud Platform of Zhejiang Comprehensive Transportation, the data of inland ports, seaports, dry ports and airports are fully connected, combining the transportation demand and supply and logistics data with cloud computing, machine learning, data mining and other technologies to provide real-time whole process multimodal transport logistics solutions for shippers, freight forwarders and carriers, so as to fully expand users’ right to know and choose when purchasing multimodal transport services. It promotes the sharing of logistics entrustment orders, lading bills and other business documents by all parties in the process of multimodal transport, and forms a “one-stop” lading bill for the whole process logistics of multimodal transport with high-level real rights. It promotes the visual and dynamic tracking of the whole process logistics, provides users with one-stop information query of the whole process logistics with multiple information sources and multiple entrances, and improves the convenience of users for information query of the whole process logistics.

3.3 Provide Convenient Commercial and Financial Information Services

Promote the application of smart trading e-commerce for bulk commodity transactions such as metal ore, coal, oil, grain and chemicals. Through cooperation with financial and insurance institutions, develop information platforms such as logistics finance and pledge supervision, trading platforms such as shipping insurance and shipping space, as well as shipping trust and ship financing, so as to realize the integration of cargo import and export trade, cross-border e-commerce and commercial logistics finance. Guided by market demand and user experience, build an online inland port logistics mall and related mobile applications to improve the convenience of users’ multimodal transport business handling, ordering, payment and settlement (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2.
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The structure of multimodal transport information system focusing on inland ports based on integrating “four-port linkage” information and sea-river intermodal transport.

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4 Promoting the Connection with Inland Shipping Information Systems in Other Provinces and Cities in the Yangtze River Delta

4.1 Advocate the Integrated Development of Inland Shipping Information System in the Yangtze River Delta

Under the background of the integrated development of Yangtze River Delta, actively promote the development of docking standards of inland river shipping information system among Zhejiang Province, Shanghai City, Jiangsu Province and Anhui Province in terms of operation management, logistics transaction, document mutual recognition and port management, and advocate the synchronous development of the integration and standardization of the inland river shipping information systems of all provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Delta. Actively promote the electronization of main business documents of inland ports, strengthen the digital circulation and information sharing of inland port operation documents, and promote the sharing of business information among inland shipping enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta, so as to make important support for promoting the integration of inland shipping resources, promoting the integrated development of ports and shipping in the Yangtze River Delta, and forming a world-class inland port cluster with reasonable labor division and mutual cooperation.

4.2 Plan to Share Inland Shipping Information and Develop Information Platform Across Administrative Regions

It may 1) connect the Zhejiang inland river shipping information system with Shanghai, sharing sea-river intermodal transport information and cooperating between inland ports (e.g. Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou Port) and coastal ports (e.g. Jiaxing Zhapu Port, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port and Yangshan Port), 2) connect the Zhejiang inland river shipping information system with Jiangsu and Anhui, sharing shipping information and cooperating between Zhejiang inland ports and the ports along the Yangtze River (e.g. Wuhu, Nanjing, Nantong and Taicang Port), especially sharing sea-river intermodal transport information between the inland river ports in northern and western Zhejiang and the ports in southern Jiangsu, and 3) promote sharing sea-river intermodal transport information between Ningbo Zhoushan Port and the ports along the Yangtze River, and finally assisting expanding the service scope of Zhoushan River-sea Intermodal Service Center. Plan to develop public port and shipping logistics information platform across administrative regions, promote the exchange and sharing of multimodal transport information across administrative regions with reference to LOGINK China and the shipping electronic data interchange (EDI) center, and actively develop public information platforms for railway-highway-waterway intermodal transport of bulk cargo and sea-river intermodal transport of containers, explore the “four-port linkage” mechanism across administrative regions under the background of integrated development of Yangtze River Delta from the perspective of inland shipping (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3.
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Suggested framework for the development of inland shipping information platform across Yangtze River Delta.

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5 Promoting Typical Projects of Smart Inland River Shipping

5.1 Promote Typical Applications of “Four-Port Linkage” Information Interconnection Covering Inland Shipping

Promote developing reservation and pick-up system for the container yard of inland ports, promote interconnection and data sharing between fourth party logistics platforms and the infoports of “four-port linkage”, open up the information transmission channels of terminals, freight forwarders, storage yards, fleets and truck drivers, and form an efficient collaborative system for container and bulk cargo highway-waterway intermodal transport of inland ports. Promote the typical application of inland ports railway-waterway intermodal transport information interconnection, promote the unification of freight tickets, waybills and other standard messages between important inland ports (e.g. Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou Port) and Shanghai Railway Bureau, overcome the information barriers between inland ports and China Railway e-commerce system and dry ports, and realize the information interconnection of container status in the whole process of railway-waterway intermodal transport. Promote the typical application of information interconnection between Zhoushan River-sea Intermodal Service Center and Yangtze River port, and expand the service scope of Zhoushan river-sea intermodal transport public information platform. Focusing on bulk cargo, promote the information interconnection between Ningbo Zhoushan port and Yangtze River port and Commodity Futures Exchange. Focusing on one-stop logistics, develop intelligent service platform for container sea-river intermodal transport in Northern Zhejiang, connect with the information systems of offshore routes, barge branch lines, sea-railway intermodal transportation and highway transportation of Ningbo Zhoushan Port and Jiaxing Port, realize the information interconnection of container multimodal transport, and provide one-stop, and door-to-door services (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4.
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Typical applications of “four-port linkage” information interconnection covering inland shipping.

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5.2 Promote the Construction of Automatic Terminals in Inland Ports

Taking Linping, Xiasha container operating areas in Hangzhou Port and Xucun container operating areas in Jiaixing Inland Port as pilots, promote the construction of automated container terminals in inland ports, utilize digital management and automated operating equipment, improve the intelligence level of operation and comprehensive management of inland ports by using digital management and automatic operating equipment, and realize the improvement of port capacity and operational efficiency. The key construction includes intelligent remote control of inland port equipment, intelligent management system of production process, intelligent tallying system, and 5G technology applied in inland port. Taking Linpu operating zone in Hangzhou Port and Luoyang operating zone in Jinhua Port as pilots, promote preliminary exploration and project implementation of automated bulk terminals in inland port, and explore the application of automatic stacker-reclaimer, digital yard, automatic loading and unloading ship machine, intelligent monitoring and production information management system.

5.3 Promote Smart Channel Construction Projects

Strengthen the construction of intelligent channels, and accelerate the digitization of infrastructure and the development of and operation management system for higher-grade channel network in northern Zhejiang, Qiantang River, Hangzhou-Ningbo Canal and Oujiang River. Carry out construction and maintenance combined with intelligent control in Xinba second line ship lock, and explore driverless shipping in Heshangtang channel. Use information technology to comprehensively enhance the perception, pre control and adaptability of port and shipping operation, and realize the dynamic real-time monitoring of water transportation. Develop the provincial construction, operation and maintenance and network security standard system for port and shipping informatization. Take Zhezhatong (Zhejiang Lock Management System) as the platform to develop a unified intelligent dispatching platform for ship locks and inland river shipping in the whole province, all ship locks in the whole province will be incorporated into the system, and further improve the functions including electronic channel map, ship trajectory and dynamic supervision, positioning perception etc. (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5.
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Layout of smart channels for the Container Transportation Channel of High-grade Channel Network in North Zhejiang.

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6 Concluding Remarks

This paper discusses the strategy of “Four-port Linkage” to help the high-quality development of Zhejiang smart inland shipping, from the perspectives of developing a comprehensive big data platform for inland shipping, developing a sea-river intermodal transport service information system, promoting the linkage of inland shipping information systems across provinces and cities, and suggesting smart inland shipping typical projects. Key measures include developing a dynamic information collection and monitoring mechanism for inland shipping shared by governments and enterprises, promoting the comprehensive connection of multimodal transport information between inland ports and sea, land and air ports, and planning the development of inland shipping information platform across administrative regions. This paper provides reference for the development of smart inland shipping in Zhejiang Province.