- Four-legged robot introduces automated quarantine checks for inbound empty containers
- AI-assisted inspections double efficiency as cargo volumes surge at meishan terminal
Zhejiang’s Ningbo Customs has begun deploying an AI-powered quadruped robot to inspect inbound empty containers at the Meishan terminal, marking a shift toward automated quarantine supervision as rising trade volumes strain traditional manual inspection systems.
The rollout signals a new phase of “AI-assisted, intelligent inspection” at Meishan Port Area, one of the fastest-growing terminals within Ningbo Zhoushan Port.
The port handled more than 13 million twenty-foot equivalent units last year, including nearly 3.86 million imported empty containers — a scale that customs officials say has outpaced the efficiency limits of human-only inspections.
Under traditional procedures, a single inspector could examine roughly 200 containers per day, creating bottlenecks for shipping lines seeking faster turnaround times.
The newly introduced robot integrates six inspection functions, including autonomous patrol, container number recognition, hidden-compartment detection, foreign-object identification, pest monitoring and anomaly alerts.
The robot is equipped with optical and thermal imaging sensors, multiple industrial-grade cameras, lidar and high-precision navigation systems. Based on its design, the machine resembles the B2, an industry-grade quadruped model developed by Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics.
“The robot dog combines sharp vision with an intelligent brain,” said Zhang Jian, deputy head of logistics monitoring at Meishan Customs.
Zhang added that it is able to autonomously patrol container yards after inspection routes and storage layouts are preprogrammed.
Using laser measurement and image-computing technology, the robot can determine whether containers contain concealed compartments, while high-definition cameras and supplemental lighting improve detection of pests and harmful organisms — a key requirement in quarantine inspections.
As of March 25, the robot had assisted inspections on more than 5,000 containers, achieving a container-number recognition accuracy rate of 92% and a foreign-object detection rate of 95%.
Continuous, around-the-clock deployment has more than doubled inspection efficiency compared with manual operations, customs officials said.
The deployment reflects a broader push by Chinese ports to apply robotics and artificial intelligence to logistics supervision, aiming to maintain throughput growth while tightening biosecurity and inspection standards at some of the world’s busiest maritime gateways.
