During Typhoon Co-may in late July, chief forecasters were stationed at the port's dispatch center. As the storm's track shifted, they updated wind forecasts in real time, enabling port managers to adjust work schedules and recover 10 hours of operating time, he said.

The platform has also proved vital for coordinating vessel traffic, according to Lian Sheng, deputy director of operations at the port's dispatch center.

In November, when strong monsoon winds swept the East China Sea, Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) — the world's largest container carrier and one of the port's biggest clients — ordered several vessels to skip scheduled calls at Ningbo and Shanghai. Its safety team in Geneva, Switzerland, predicted gales of Beaufort scale 9 to 10 along the coast based on European forecasts.

"That decision meant the ships could not berth as planned," Lian said.