The Digital Port Technologies Lab was initially established in December 2019 and subsequently awarded with Ningbo Municipal Key Lab (Class A) in 2023. The aims of the lab are to develop the cutting-edge technologies and systems for the next generation intelligent port, and to cultivate world class talent in AI and digitalisation. This includes, but not limited to, the innovative use of the latest technologies, with port as main application scenario, in 5G/6G, IoT,

big data analytics, simulation, digital twin, port focused large AI models, computational intelligence, reinforcement learning, deep learning, edge computing, operations research, and large-scale optimization. The lab has world-class facilities and space that occupy over 2000 square meters, and is designed to be a combined platform for both research experiments and capability demonstrations. The lab currently has over 30 academics and 50+ PhD students. Over the years, the lab has had multiple funding successes, including projects from National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Zhejiang Outstanding Scientist Fund and Ningbo Science and Technology Innovation 2025 Programme with total fund over 15 million, some of the which are joint projects in collaboration with Ningbo Port.

The Ningbo Digital Port Technologies Key Laboratory has officially announced the launch of its Open Fund Project, aiming to enhance research partnerships and drive innovation in port technology and logistics. This initiative invites researchers and industry experts from around the globe to apply for funding and collaboration projects that align with the lab's strategic objectives. Open Link

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News

Successful Convening of the AI and Smart Decision-Making Workshop and Academic Committee Meeting of the Key Laboratory for Digital Port Technologies

Key Research Directions

Contact Us

Public Enquiry

DigitalPort.Lab@nottingham.edu.cn

Professor Ruibin Bai

Principle Investigator

Ruibin.Bai@nottingham.edu.cn

Mr. Haibo Dong

Lab Manager

Nick.Dong@nottingham.edu.cn

Mr. Michael Ying

Business Contact

Michael.Ying@nottingham.edu.cn

Research Space & Equipment

Artificial Intelligence Lab

The Artificial Intelligence Lab plays a pivotal role in advancing Al research. It serves as a hub for developing, testing, and refining Al technologies, enabling innovations that drive progress in fields like robotics, natural language processing, and machine learning. This lab fosters collaboration, creativity, and the exploration of Al'spotential to transform our world.

Large Computer Lab

The Large Computer Lab is crucial for technological advancement. It provides a platform for extensive computing, data analysis, and software development, enabling researchers and students to tackle complex problems efficiently. This lab promotes innovationand collaboration, powering progress in various fields.

Digital Port Technologies Lab

The Digital Port Technologies Lab is a hub for developing and testing advanced digital port solutions. It enables efficient cargo handling, improves port security, and enhances connectivity. This lab accelerates innovation in the maritime industry, driving itsmodernization and competitiveness.

Computer Vision and Intelligent Perception Lab

The Computer Vision and Intelligent Perception Lab advancestechnology for understanding and interpreting visual information. It develops algorithms and systems that enable machines to "see" and perceive their environment, fostering progress in robotics,autonomous vehicles, and beyond.

High Performance Computing Center

The High Performance Computing Center powers scientific research and innovation. It provides supercomputing resources for complex data analysis, simulation, and modeling, enablingbreakthroughs in fields like physics, biology, and engineering.

The laboratory has 427 sets of software and hardware of various PCs, servers, graphics workstations, etc., with a total value of about 23.47 million RMB. In addition, there are 8 sets of professional software.

Intelligent 4K Large 
Screen

HPC Center

Automated Guided 
Vehicle

M200 Drone

RoboMaster Robot

Object Detection Tracking

AI Motion Capture Device

Robotic Arm

Edge Computing Platform

Ongoing Projects

No.	Project Level	Project Type	Project Name	PI/ UNNC PI	Date	Amount （RMB）
1	National Level	国家基金-面上计划项目 NSFC-General Program	超启发搜索框架下运筹建模和数据学习双驱动的组合优化技术及港口调度综合优化研究 Model and Data Driven Hyper-Heuristics for Combinatorial Optimization and Their Applications in Port Operation Integrated Scheduling	Ruibin Bai	2021/1/1-2024/12/31	566K
2	National Level	国家自然基金-重点国际（地区）合作研究项目 NSFC-NSFC Key International (Regional) Joint Research Programme 2024	面向芯片可靠性的任务调度关键技术研究 Research of Key Technologies for Integrated Circuit Reliability-Aware Task Scheduling	Heng Yu	2023/1/1-2027/12/31	2520K (655.2K)*
3	Municipal Level	2021年度宁波市第一批重大科技攻关暨“揭榜挂帅”项目 2021 Ningbo Major S&T Project	基于工业互联网的安全生产数字孪生系统关键技术研究 Research on Key Technologies of Digital Twin System for Safe Production Based on Industrial Internet	Qian Zhang	2021/6/1-2024/6/1	3000K (900K)*
4	Municipal Level	2022年度宁波市重点研发计划暨“揭榜挂帅”第一批项目 2022 Ningbo Major S&T Project	基于数字赋能的港口作业效率提升与安全保障关键技术研究 Research on Key Technologies for Improving Port Operation Efficiency and Safety Assurance Based on Digital Empowerment	Zheng Lu	2022/1/1-2024/12/31	3000K (300K)*
5	Municipal Level	2022年度宁波市重点研发计划暨“揭榜挂帅”第一批项目 2022 Ningbo Major S&T Project	基于卫星通信的海产交易服务平台及渔业大数据中心建设关键技术 Seafood transaction service platform based on satellite communication and key technologies for fishery big data center construction	Jianfeng Ren	2022/7/1-2025/6/30	3000K （360K)*
6	Municipal Level	2022年度宁波市重点研发计划暨“揭榜挂帅”第一批项目 2022 Ningbo Major S&T Project	基于影像组学和数字病理的脑恶性肿瘤多模态人工智能可解释性分析系统的研发及临床应用 Research and Clinical Application of Brain Tumor Multi-modality Explainable Artificial Intelligence System based on Medical Image and Digital Pathology	Ying Weng	2022/7/1-2025/6/30	2000K (1000K)*
7	Municipal Level	2022年度宁波市重点研发计划暨“揭榜挂帅”第一批项目，宁波市“科技创新2025”重大专项项目 2022 Ningbo Major S&T Project	面向智能家电与智能家居的驱控一体芯片研发 Research and development of integrated drive and control chips for smart home appliances	Heng Yu	2022/7/1-2025/6/30	5000K (500K)*
8	Municipal Level	宁波市自然科学基金 Ningbo Natural Science Foundation Programme/Project	基于大数据分析的城市公共交通与共享单车的联合管理研究 Big data analysis of integrating bike sharing service with urban metro system	Huan Jin	2021/9/1-2023/8/31	50K
9	Municipal Level	甬江引才工程-科技创新领域青年创新人才项目 Yong River Talent Attraction Project - Youth Innovative Talent Project in the Field of Science and Technology Innovation Innovation	元宇宙中异构多智能体系统交互研究 Research on Heterogeneous Multi-Agent System Interaction in the Metaverse	Yuan Yao	2023/1/1-2027/12/31	1000K
10	Municipal Level	甬江引才工程-科技创新领域创新个人Yongjiang Talent Attraction Project - Innovative Individuals in the Field of Science and Technology Innovation	乳腺癌组织病理学的端到端转移检测 End-to-End Metastasis Detection in Breast Cancer Histopathology	Sean He	2023/1/1-2027/12/31	1000K
11	Municipal Level	甬江引才工程-团队 Yongjiang Talent Attraction Project - Team	基于宁波金融智能化的信用风险评估和决策支持应用研究 Research on credit risk assessment and decision support application based on Ningbo financial intelligence	Anthony Graham Bellotti	2021/11/1-2024/11/1	1000K
12	Municipal Level	宁波市“科技创新2025”重大专项项目 Ningbo Major S&T Project	基于数字孪生系统的大型高温热处理装置智控与热能管理精确建模 Research on credit risk assessment and decision support application based on Ningbo financial intelligence	Sean He	2023/8/01-2026/7/31	3000k (1200K)
13	Municipal Level	宁波市重点是实验室（A类） Ningbo Municipal Key Lab Scheme (Type A) 2023	宁波市数字港口技术重点实验室 Ningbo Digital port Technologies Key Lab	Ruibin Bai	2023/3/8- 2026/3/7	1000K
14	Municipal Level	宁波市“科技创新2025”重大专项项目 Ningbo Major S&T Project	基于数字孪生的复杂系统多作业点AGV调度协同关键技术研究 Research on digital twin based key technologies for multi-AGV scheduling and cooperation in complex systems	Ruibin Bai	2023/8/1-2026/7/31	1000K*（Lead）
15	Municipal Level		约束组合优化问题深度强化学习超启发式搜索算法研究Hyper-heuristic Deep Reinforcement Learning Framework for Constrained Combinatorial Optimization Problems	Tianxiang Cui	2023/6/1-2025/8/31	50K
16	Provincial Level		Med-FAUNet 模型超声图像分割任务测试 Med-FAUNet Model for Ultrasound Image Segmentation-Test ProjectMed-FAUNet	Sean He	2023/8/1-2025/8/1	80K
17	Provincial Level		考虑碳排放的协同制造双目标多场景调度方法研究 Research on Collaborative Manufacturing Dual-Objective Multi-Scenario Scheduling Method Considering Carbon Emissions	Zhen Tan	2023/1/1-2025/12/31	60K
18	National Level		复杂环境下智能体通用慎思模型研究 Research on General Deliberation Model for Agents in Complex Environmentsvironments	Yuan Yao	2020/1/1-2022/12/31	37k
19	Municipal Level	宁波市“科技创新2025”重大专项项目 Ningbo Major S&T Project	医院物流机器人集群调度系统研发及应用 Research and Application of Hospital Logistics Robot Cluster Scheduling System System	Ruibin Bai	2022/8/31-2024/8/31	4600K(345k)
20	Municplal Level	宁波市“科技创新2025”重大专项项目 Ningbo Major S&T Project	基于5G构建覆盖区-街-居三级联动的以“两慢病”和健康养老为核心的智慧健康医养示范应用 Construction of a 5G-based Smart Health and Medical Care Demonstration Application Centering on "Two Chronic Diseases" and Healthy Aging, with a Three-Level Linkage Covering District-Street-Community	Boon Giin Lee	2022/10/1-2024/9/30	4,000K(400K)
21	Municipal Level	宁波市“科技创新2025”重大专项项目 Ningbo Major S&T Project	火灾现场实景调度指挥及远程勘验技术研究 Research on Live Scene Dispatch Command and Remote Inspection Technology at Fire Sites Sites	Boon Giin Lee	2021/8/1-2024/8/1	3,000K(510K)
22	Municipal Level	公益项目 Ningbo Common Welfare	基于可穿戴式多传感器的消防人员安全风险评估决策研究与运用 Research on Embedded Wearable Sensors for Firefighter Safety Assessment and Applications	Boon Giin Lee	2021/6/1-2023/5/31	200K

*the amount in brackets is the fund to UNNC.

Successful Cases

Key technological enhancement and applications for Ningbo port Terminal operating system

Funder: Ningbo Science & Technology Bureau, Amount: RMB 2m. 2019/10-2022.

Robust data mining technologies and their application in cold logistics chain big data analytics

Funder: Ningbo Science & Technology Bureau, Reference: 2017D10034, Amount: RMB 1.2m, 2017-2020.

Freight service network design optimisation and its applications

Funder: Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation, Outstanding Young Scientist (LR17G010001). Amount: RMB 250,000. 2017-01 to 2020-12.

Model and Data Driven Hyper-Heuristics for Combinatorial Optimization and Their Applications in Port Operation Integrated Scheduling

Funder: NSFC General Program, Ref: 72071116, Amount: RMB 566K, 2021-2024.

Research Team

Lab Director

Professor
Ruibin Bai

Head of the Department of Computer Science, University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Executive Council Member of the Scheduling Branch, Operations Research Society of China
Outstanding Youth of Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province
Founding Director of the Digital Port Committee, Zhejiang Computer Federation

Associate Lab Director

Professor
Alain Chong

Ten Outstanding Young Malaysians
Ningbo 3315 foreign experts
Winner of the Foreign Excellent Young Scholar Research Fund Project
Winner of Ningbo Camellia Award

Lab Main Members

Professor Cong Cao

Professor
Xiangjian He

Professor Rong Qu

Professor Xiuping Hua

Dr Jiawei Li

Dr Antony Belloti

Highlights of Our Team

40+

It is formed by a research echelon of 40+ team members, 30+ professors and associate professors, including National Foreign Thousand Talents, Zhejiang Thousand Talents, National Outstanding Youth, and Zhejiang Outstanding Youth, Zhejiang Province Ten Thousand Talents Program and Ningbo 3315 Expert.

50+

A total of more than 50 doctoral students have entered the laboratory.

300+

300+ papers, 200+ papers are in SCI Q1

20+

20+ PhD graduate

20

Nearly 20 patents and soft works

External Partmers

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