"Robot" one threat to humanity, are taking their jobs.

In January 2016, the Dutch hundreds of dockers in Europe's first big strike in the port of Rotterdam for 24 hours, to protest against competition from robot, strike to port a wide range of paralysis, is the first time in 13 years.

The cause of the "fortune" magazine said that the strike is the port of Rotterdam will use a kind of call "Maasvlakte 2" automation terminal project. Estimates of trade unions, the automation system put into use, will lead to nearly 20% in two years the loss of jobs.

This is not alarmist. A consultative vote at the end of 2015, the Dutch dock workers union demands layoffs freeze for 9 years, and Europe container terminal, maersk container port and the Rotterdam world portal, port operators are, according to the requirement of "unrealistic", and put forward the layoffs freeze shorten to 4.5 years. Such negotiations fail, led to a general strike ever since.

A similar trend of automation, in the domestic ports also staged.

Dalian maritime university institute for the world economy, the director of the liu bin to surging news (www.thepaper.cn), said China's port loading and unloading automation degree is very high, "is also the highest around the world."

Liu said, now the dock must need people to do is one of the few jobs. Dalian port in the late 1980 s have close to 20000 people, one thousand people with only two or three. As for the number will continue to decrease, "it's hard to say."

Rotterdam union estimates that "Maasvlakte 2" automation terminal project put into use, will lead to nearly 20% in two years the loss of jobs.

Behind the "port", is the popularity of port automation project.

In the port of Rotterdam, for example, preparations for the automation of the port can be traced back to the 1990 s, but the automation terminal project Maasvlakte 2 construction start until 2008. In December 2014, maersk container terminal of the fully automated equipment for the first ship to dock, in April 2015 formally put into use, the system cost 500 million euros.

In the new terminal, the robot is not only in container tracking system, loading and unloading cargo crane replace human aspects and so on, even in charge of inland container transportation at the edge of the dock to truck or rail operation by robots. Replace these systems are those with high pay, high technical talents. The port stevedore average salary in the United States can reach $150000 (975000 yuan).

The impact of the workers is obvious.

Rotterdam union representative Niek Stam, said port first, loading capacity of 5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent) automation terminal Maasvlakte 2, and will only be used as artificial supplement, but the reality is that the robot has begun to eat into the cart out of the old terminal of 12 million TEU. So the worst possibility is that in the next few years, there will be 800 to 4000 extra jobs.

"Ship" reversed transmission port efficiency

In China, the port of the application of automation project also fairly common.

In march of this year, the first, also is the world's first fourth-generation automation terminal, xiamen pelagic automation terminal (phase I) automation equipment system acceptance.

The largest domestic automation terminal - four phase of yangshan, plan 2017 put into trial production.

In liu's view, the Chinese foreign trade, domestic trade is also relatively less, so people shoulders to carry. But now every port throughput is more than 100, one hundred million tons, if there is no large automation equipment is unable to complete.

He cites an example, the iron ore of large bulk cargo loading and unloading, now basically is to complete automation. About 350 metres long, 80 meters wide, 400000 tons of cargo loaded the ship from Brazil to China, the 400000 tons of if, in accordance with the traditional method of loading and unloading, in the 1980 s day cart is very low, at least nearly 40 days. Can finish unloading automation for three days now.

Ocean shipping vessels "load" is more and more big, the reversed transmission port loading and unloading efficiency, too.

Liu said, in the mid - 1980 - s, 3000 teu container ship for more, 6000 teu and 8000 teu and 6000 teu, now has 18000 teu container ship, therefore must improve degree of automation to meet the requirements of loading and unloading efficiency. Now 12000, 13000 teu container ship in the port of dalian basic also need two days after unloading.

A paradox.

"Hong Kong", of course, also need people to manage.

Qingdao port officials, for instance, the shipping industry of containerization can advance the use of artificial process, in the factory will put the goods into the container, don't have to carry on the wharf using artificial. The higher the degree of containerization, the less people will use on the wharf. Such as food GuanBao need a lot of manpower, containerization, these only factory packed the goods into the container in advance.

In addition, terrorism and smuggling, now also need the depth of the human involved.

The personage inside course of study points out that the safety of the port is very important, as at the airport, the United States, the Middle East and Europe are very cautious. Port after the unmanned, through the electronic, information management, anti-terrorism task becomes more difficult. Smuggling (even) crossing through the container, also is a kind of risk facing port, in many cases, or want to rely on people to check. If fully automated, safety risk will increase, so in this case, the link is combined with the most reasonable man and machine.

"It's a paradox, both the trend of automation and unmanned, want to rely on artificial to check again at the same time. Maybe the use of robots in the future, will be more to replace artificial, but eventually want to rely on people to their input programming, it's going to be a new industry." Liu said.

According to him, now the employment structure has changed, port of staff for college students, even the master, doctor.