An engineering team led by Zhang Liangang from Qingdao Port, Shandong province, was conferred the title "Role Model of the Times" by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee on Dec 30, 2020.

This is the first time that a team from Qingdao has won such an honor, which is in recognition of their remarkable achievements in building Qingdao Port into Asia's first fully automated port.

Zhang Liangang (left) and his colleague work at Qingdao Port, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee recently made decisions to promote the spirit of the role models, the value of work, and the pursuit of fine workmanship, encourage the working class to keep improving their skills to adapt themselves to the latest sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, as well as call on the public to learn from the role models to contribute to local high-quality development.

The group of engineers, called "Liangang Innovative Team", has made relentless efforts to promote independent innovation and increase automation of port operations since its establishment in 2013.

Zhang Liangang and his team pose for a photo at the Qianwan Automatic Container Terminal of Qingdao Port. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

While getting an automated terminal up and running usually requires years of preparation, the Qianwan terminal of Qingdao Port was ready in 2017 after just three years.

The team started the second phase of the terminal in August 2018, turning it into a 5G-powered smart wharf in just 15 months.

The terminal boasts the world's first hydrogen-powered 5G port that uses unmanned vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel to transport containers.

The team also helped the fully automated container terminal achieve an average efficiency rate of moving 47.6 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per hour using a single crane on Dec 17, 2020, setting a new world record for the sixth time.