China has taken another step toward fully autonomous shipping after the smart feeder vessel Zhi Fei completed an end‑to‑end unmanned call at Qingdao port, executing autonomous navigation, berthing, mooring and container handling with no human intervention.

The 300 teu, battery‑electric Zhi Fei – operated by Navigation Brilliance (Brinav) in partnership with Shandong Port Group – arrived at Qingdao New Qianwan Container Terminal, one of the most technologically advanced terminals in the world, and was secured to the berth by an automated vacuum mooring system using suction pads.

The mooring sequence took just 30 seconds, removing the need for manual mooring lines or crew on deck. Terminal automation then took over: a domestically developed A‑TOS and A‑ECS coordinated intelligent quay cranes and automated guided vehicles to unload and transfer boxes with no waiting time.

Navigation Brilliance says the vessel, whose name translates to Intelligent Navigation, has completed nearly 1,300 commercial voyages since 2022.

The ship can switch between manual, remote‑control and autonomous modes and remains monitored by a shore‑based control centre able to override systems if required.

Zhi Fei’s short‑sea role – connecting Qingdao with Dongjiakou and Rizhao – makes it an ideal testing ground for scaling autonomous feeder services.