The subject of Port Mechatronics Engineering was designated as Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project in 2005. It mainly serves the construction of Shanghai Shipping Center, and has gained synthetical advantage and specialized characteristics in the researches on the intelligence, large-scale and automation of port mechatronics equipments. In 1981, it was authorized to award master degrees. After the development and construction of the subject, its research areas are mainly in the intelligent control and integration of the port equipment systems, theories and methodology in mechanical design and manufacturing of large port machines, and the fault diagnosis and safety evaluation of port mechatronics equipments.
The academic level of this subject at home and abroad has been enhanced constantly. During the construction of the subject, more than 200 projects were finished, including 1 national project and 8 provincial and ministerial projects. The fund raised for scientific research has reached 44,960,000 rmb. 16 books and more than 300 papers were published, with more than 100 papers indexed by SCI, EI and ISTP. The researches done in the subject has acquired 1 the Second Grade National Prize for Science and Technology Progress, 5 provincial and ministerial awards, and 9 patents.
During the construction, the planned establishment of special bases has been finished; the Numerical Logistics Synthetical Experiment Center and the Institute of Port Container Techniques Development were founded. The Numerical Logistics Synthetical Experiment Center has passed the initial examination of Ministry of Transportation, and the Institute of Port Container Techniques Development has signed to ally noted enterprises at home and abroad to promote the researches on the application of high technology in port and to contract in manufacturing of the whole port machine.
The subject has attracted doctors to work at the university to enforce the research team, and the proportion of young teachers is more than 50%. Now there are 25 teachers and researchers with PhD or as doctor candidates. Every year, several teachers and researchers will be sent abroad for international conference, joint researches and academic exchange and communication, which has greatly helped to enhance the scientific research level of the subject.