Inside a high-tech river port in Jiangmen, Guangdong province, a remotely controlled gantry crane pivots its long arm, grabbing containers from a truck and stacking them in designated positions after passing through an intelligent checkpoint in just eight seconds.

Simultaneously, a fleet of autonomous electric trucks maneuvers around obstacles along a predetermined route toward the dockside quay bridge.

The bustling yet orderly operation site at the Jiangmen High-tech Port almost lacks the presence of workers, thanks to the introduction of intelligent facilities and services.

"With the application of technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, operations at the port have become smarter and more efficient," said Chen Hailin, deputy general manager of Jiangmen High-tech Port, while pointing to the central control screen.