To improve the operation efficiency of the horizontal transportation system of automated container terminals and promote the development of the container collecting and dispatching system，we research the intelligent horizontal transportation mode and system design considering the requirements of container terminals for automated and intelligent construction. After analyzing the production operation process of automated container terminals，we formulate the overall operation mechanism of the terminals and design the functions and operation modes of the horizontal transportation system. Moreover，we design the working mechanism and process of the horizontal transportation system from multiple aspects such as operation scheduling，path planning，traffic control，and charging management. Furthermore，we present the decision-making method of intelligent transportation of automated container terminals and adopt the control strategy of combining the overall planning and local guidance of transportation operation. This research can provide reference for the construction of automated container terminals and the development of intelligent horizontal transportation systems.