Setting high standards

Qin is proud that a large proportion of the robots being used on the project are made in China or have Chinese origins.

"The robots we are using can be categorized into three types. The first is robots that have been independently researched and developed by ourselves, such as molding robots and robots that weld wall foundations. The second is those we jointly developed with (domestic) robot manufacturers. And the third is those we directly purchased from the market, including some imported equipment," Qin said.

Shanghai is looking to transform and upgrade its advanced manufacturing over the coming three years. The use of robots in the terminal construction perfectly fits this agenda. The three-year action plan was unveiled by the municipal government early in January.

The plan has set ambitious goals, including nurturing 100 manufacturing enterprises, each with an annual output of above 1 billion yuan ($147 million), and raising the city's robot density to 600 robots per 10,000 employees by 2028. The measures are expected to consolidate and enhance the city's industrial chain and turn it into a global high-end manufacturing center.

Robot density, a key gauge of the adoption of automation in manufacturing, is the number of robots per 10,000 people in the manufacturing industry.

China has a robot density of 166 per 10,000 workers, ranking sixth in Asia and 22nd globally, according to a report from International Federation of Robotics.

South Korea tops the rankings at 1,220, followed by Singapore at 818. Shanghai's current density level of robots is 500 according to Xinhua News Agency. If it reaches the target of 600 by 2028, it would rank third behind South Korea and Singapore.