Automated container terminals characterized by high efficiency and high automation have stricter field personnel management and zone division of the port area than those of traditional container terminals. As one of the important remote control and security facilities of terminals，video monitoring systems should develop and upgrade along with the terminals to meet their automation requirements. Taking the container automation reconstruction project at the 7# and 8# berths in the Dalanping South Operation Zone of Qinzhou Port as an example，this paper starts with the layout，loading and unloading process，zone division，and other characteristics of automated container yards and expounds the design essentials of video monitoring systems for automated container terminals from the aspects of monitoring scope，layout principle，equipment selection，and installation location. The results can provide references for the design of video monitoring systems for similar terminals.