"Keep learning and strive to be the best in your field" is the motto of Xu Zhenchao, a 74-year-old technician at Shandong Port Group's Qingdao Port in Shandong province with 50 years of work experience.

It's an ethos that has guided him throughout his career, leading to his recent recognition as a "People's Craftsman", a national honorary title he received on Sept 13 for his relentless pursuit of efficiency and excellence.

For 50 years, Xu, now a senior technician, has been committed to making container handling more efficient, with higher levels of automation.

When he started working at the port in 1974, he operated a lifting machine.

"Learning to operate it was straightforward, but mastering it was a different story," he recalled.

When an expert operated the lifting machine, the hook lifted smoothly, and the steel wire rope moved in a straight line. But when it came to Xu, the hook would wobble and the rope would swing erratically.

When loading ore onto trains, Xu found that more ore ended up outside the train than inside, and he was saddened to see his colleagues busy clearing up the spillage with shovels.

To swiftly master the skill, Xu dedicated himself to practicing hook control for hours.

After four to five months of practice, he achieved proficiency, smoothly guiding the rope in a straight line.

His improved technique significantly reduced his colleagues' workload.

Xu's professionalism saw him selected as one of the first batches of container bridge crane operators in 1984, when the port established a container company.

He diligently studied the complexities of operating the advanced equipment.

"One may not go to university, but one must never stop learning," he said.

His home is filled with books and reference materials related to mechanics and electronics. Xu gradually mastered bridge crane technical parameters and equipment performance, becoming an expert in operating and repairing bridge cranes.

As container transport advanced rapidly from the 1990s, Xu played a crucial role in addressing the evolving demands at Qingdao Port.

In 2000, when the port initiated the construction of a new terminal, Xu was appointed as the chief commander overseeing the installation of cranes.

After more than 40 days of arduous work, a massive bridge crane, weighing 1,300 metric tons and towering 75 meters high, finally stood on the expansive dock at Qianwan.

The advanced crane equipment enabled Xu and his colleagues to set a world record for container handling by unloading 3,400 standard containers from a ship and loading them onto trucks in just six hours.

Over the past two decades, the port's production has shifted from labor-intensive operations to become more technology-driven.

In 2006, after two years of technical research and development, Xu and his team converted diesel-powered tire cranes to run on electricity, saving the port 20 million yuan ($2.8 million) a year in operating costs and eliminating air pollution.

Xu not only excels in his own role but also helps cultivate skilled workers.

"He is a man born for the port," said Guo Lei, one of his apprentices, who is now an expert crane operator. "He shows technical workers the importance of learning and innovating."

Xu said that with the rapid advance of industrial technology, especially in areas such as networking, data analysis and mechanical maintenance, there's an urgent need to cultivate skilled workers.