Shandong Port Commissions First Reach Stacker Retrofitted with Auxiliary Hydrogen Power System

WEIFANG — The first container reach stacker in Shandong Port retrofitted with an auxiliary hydrogen power system was recently commissioned and placed into service at the Weifang Port Area in Bohai Bay Port, following successful on-site installation and system calibration.

Diesel-powered reach stackers represent high-energy-consuming mobile machinery in port operations, characterized by high fuel consumption, elevated operating costs, and growing carbon compliance pressures. To address these challenges, the Weifang Port Area targeted auxiliary hydrogen retrofits. Following extensive feasibility studies, engineers finalized a retrofit architecture that preserves the equipment’s original operational performance while delivering reduced fuel costs, improved operating efficiency, and lower carbon intensity.

Initial operational calculations indicate that a single retrofitted reach stacker will yield RMB 35,000 in annual fuel cost savings while eliminating approximately 17 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. The successful deployment validates the operational compatibility of hydrogen systems with mobile port machinery, proving the technical viability and practicality of the retrofit pathway. Upon completing retrofits across the remaining three reach stackers in the fleet, the overall project is projected to generate over RMB 100,000 in annual cost savings and abate 51 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually—delivering dual economic and environmental benefits.

Moving forward, Bohai Bay Port will systematically expand the scope of its hydrogen retrofitting initiatives. By consolidating performance data and deployment metrics across both "diesel-to-electric" and "diesel-to-hydrogen" pathways, the port plans to iteratively refine its clean energy strategy—accelerating the electrification and decarbonization of its mobile port equipment to support sustainable, high-quality maritime development.