Port of Shanghai Operator Starts Building AI Pilot Base for Shipping Logistics

Shanggang Group, operator of the Port of Shanghai, has started building an AI pilot base for shipping and logistics, according to Chinese media reports published on 7 November 2026 during a side event of the ninth China International Import Expo. The facility is intended to test artificial intelligence in three core port scenarios: cargo loading and unloading, container collection and distribution, and multimodal transport.

The base is being developed with industry, academic and research partners, and includes computing, network, storage and security infrastructure, industry datasets, and a platform for scheduling models and AI agents. Reports state the infrastructure is nearly complete and that 54 business agents are already managed within the base, a figure not yet verified against an official company release.

The initiative follows similar announcements by other Asian port operators, including Incheon's AI and digital twin logistics strategy earlier this month, indicating a regional trend of port operators positioning themselves as adopters and market enablers for operational AI.