Tianjin Port's smart operations end dockworkers' harsh working conditions

The smart transformation of Tianjin Port in northern China's Tianjin Municipality has freed dockworkers from harsh and hazardous work at heights, demonstrating how technological progress underpins the advancement of human rights.

At the world's first smart zero-carbon terminal at Tianjin Port, crane operators handle cargo remotely from several hundred meters away while autonomous vehicles move containers across the yard.

The 5G dedicated industrial network, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have enabled dockworkers at Tianjin Port to become a new generation of skilled operators, assuming remote operating roles rather than being confined in traditional crane cabs.

"Traditional ship-to-shore crane drivers had to work inside a narrow, open-air cab 40 to 50 meters above the ground, enduring the scorching heat in summer and biting cold in winter. Their work was both highly demanding and dangerous. After using the remote operation, our workplace has been shifted to an indoor remote control center. Now I handle the crane via monitors and joysticks, which means no more working at height and no more exposure to those harsh conditions. Our work environment has been improved fundamentally," said Li Yanyu, a staff member at the operations center of Tianjin Port Labor Services Development Company.

The advancement in digitalization and intelligent operations is reshaping the skills profile of port workers. Freed from repetitive, mechanically exhausting labor, they have gained access to safer, technology-driven roles and meaningful new pathways for professional growth.

"If you are enabled by the automation and the throughput is improved, that means the economy is improved, you have more income that you can employ more other people in other areas. I think that is something that is good for everyone," said Gambian Vice President Muhammad B.S. Jallow who was in a international delegation visiting Tianjin this week.

"Definitely, if this technological advancements are used to improve the working conditions of the workers here and to better their life standards and the way they work here, it definitely is a huge advancement in the promotion and protection of our human rights," said Daylen Valido Escalona, a Cuban expert on human rights.

China has emerged as the world's largest ship-owning nation, boasting the most valuable fleet of bulk carriers and container ships globally. According to the Chinese Ministry of Transport, China has built 30 automated container terminals, representing 27 percent of the world's total, and 30 automated dry bulk terminals.

Tianjin Port's smart operations end dockworkers' harsh working conditions

U.S. stocks finished modestly higher on Thursday as benchmark Treasury yields eased from fresh multi-decade highs, though gains were capped by advancing crude oil prices and mixed corporate results.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 20.51 points, or 0.04 percent, to 50,926.56. The benchmark Standard and Poor's 500 added 14.91 points, or 0.19 percent, to 7,666.45, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index gained 10.53 points, or 0.04 percent, to finish at 26,871.6.

Six of the 11 primary Standard and Poor's 500 sectors closed in negative territory, with healthcare and communication services pacing the decliners by dropping 1.3 percent and 1.19 percent, respectively. Energy and industrials led the advancers, climbing 1.92 percent and 1 percent, respectively.

In the fixed-income market, borrowing costs pulled back from intraday highs. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note eased to 5.24 percent after spiking earlier in the session to 5.34 percent, touching a new multi-decade peak. The 30-year Treasury bond yield similarly hovered near levels not seen in 24 years before moderating into the close.

Commodity markets saw notable gains, reigniting supply-side inflation concerns. West Texas Intermediate crude for November delivery advanced 2.45 U.S. dollars, or 2.71 percent, to settle at 92.87 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for December delivery climbed 4.28 dollars, or 4.37 percent, to close at 102.31 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

On the corporate front, Accenture soared almost 16 percent to pace the Standard and Poor's 500 after fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat expectations and its fiscal 2027 earnings guidance came in above analysts' expectations.

Semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology jumped over 3 percent after reporting blowout quarterly earnings, with revenue rising nearly fourfold year on year. Meanwhile, scrutiny over financing arrangements within the artificial intelligence sector intensified following a Reuters report that Broadcom agreed to lend AI startup Anthropic up to 42 billion U.S. dollars to finance infrastructure spending. Anthropic is projected to become Broadcom's largest compute customer by next year.

On the macroeconomic front, initial filings for state unemployment benefits dropped for the fourth consecutive week, pointing to resilience in the U.S. labor market. In addition, executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas reported that planned corporate layoffs fell in September, pointing to a persistent "low hire, low fire" employment landscape ahead of Friday's nonfarm payrolls report.

U.S. stocks edge up as chip stocks rally, bond yields retreat