Tianjin Port Hits 88% Automation as DeepSeek, Huawei AI Transform Operations

*Editor's Note: 'AI PRISM' (Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media) is an AI-based customized news recommendation and summarization service developed with support from the Korea Press Foundation. It selects and delivers six tailored news items for each reader type.

1. From Unloading to Loading in 10 Minutes by Unmanned Vehicle… DeepSeek Commands Tianjin Port

- Key Summary: China's Tianjin Port Second Container Terminal has achieved full automation of core processes — unloading, yard operations and horizontal transport — by adopting Huawei's mega AI model 'Pangu'-based port platform 'PortGPT' and DeepSeek's LLM. A fleet of 92 AI-powered unmanned transport vehicles operates via 5G and the BeiDou satellite navigation system, completing quay crane unloading and loading in approximately 10 minutes. After PortGPT's deployment, operations and maintenance efficiency improved by 45%. The launch of an integrated yard control system this year pushed crane utilization up an additional 12.3%. The automation rate for large container equipment surged from 66% in 2024 to 88% last year. The terminal now handles annual throughput of 2.5 million TEU on an unmanned basis — three times the volume of Busan New Port's Singamman Terminal.

2. Ethylene Shortage Sparks Vinyl Crisis… Shipbuilding Halts Feared

- Key Summary: The prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz stemming from the U.S.-Iran war has disrupted naphtha supply, sharply curtailing the supply of ethylene — often called "the rice of industry." Lotte Chemical has suspended operations at its Yeosu plant, which produces 1.23 million tons of ethylene annually, for at least two months. LG Chem has also shut down its No. 2 NCC (naphtha cracking center) plant in Yeosu. Critics point to Korea's import concentration structure, where more than 70% of naphtha imports come from the Middle East, as a factor amplifying the crisis. The shipbuilding industry is concerned about ethylene gas shortages and the auto industry about ABS supply disruptions. The aviation sector is also feeling the impact, with carriers including Jin Air and Air Premia successively reducing international flight operations, as the shock spreads across all industries.

3. 'Power of ESS' Pierces Through War — LG Energy Solution Raises $1.6 Billion

- Key Summary: LG Energy Solution launched a $1.6 billion dollar-denominated bond issuance amid U.S.-Iran war risks and drew a total of $11.3 billion in orders, recording more than seven times oversubscription. The company issued four tranches — bonds maturing in 2029 and 2031, a floating-rate bond, and a green bond maturing in 2036. Proceeds will be used for debt repayment, capital expenditure and raw material procurement. Backed by five ESS battery production bases in North America, the company's ESS division revenue is forecast to reach 9 trillion won this year — triple last year's 3.074 trillion won. Having secured cumulative ESS orders of 140 GWh globally, the company is accelerating expansion with a target of more than 90 GWh in new orders this year.

4. LS Cable & System Pursues 1.5 Trillion Won Inventory Tokenization to Maximize Returns Amid Power Equipment Supercycle

- Key Summary: LS Cable & System, Korea's No. 1 and a top-five global cable manufacturer, is pursuing a plan to tokenize 1.4566 trillion won in inventory assets through security token offerings (STO) to raise more than 1 trillion won in new funding. Surging demand for cables for AI data centers helped the company achieve revenue of 7.5882 trillion won last year, up 12% year-on-year. However, raw material purchases amounting to 3.9896 trillion won have kept the operating margin stuck at the 3% level — a structural dilemma. Capital expenditure is expected to surge to 1.2881 trillion won this year from 796.8 billion won the previous year. With the construction of a subsea cable plant in Virginia, U.S. (a roughly 1 trillion won project) and entry into the rare earth business overlapping, securing new funding sources has become urgent. The company recently signed a mutual investment agreement worth 60 billion won with Lynas, the world's largest rare earth producer, as part of efforts to reduce dependence on China, which currently accounts for 85% of supply.