The shipping industry, which undertakes over 90% of global trade and transportation, has rich digital scenarios. Empowering the shipping industry through smart port construction and integrating ports with virtual–real integration to form a smart port digital base has become an industry consensus. This study defines the smart ports and the virtual–real integration technology system, and analyzes the demand of port operation for virtual–reality integration technology from five aspects: operation planning, activity implementation, equipment operation and maintenance, safety and emergency response, and energy conservation. It also summarizes maps of six virtual–real integration technologies and their application scenarios in smart ports, the technologies being system simulation, extended reality, information-physical system, digital twin, parallel system, and metaverse. After sorting out the development idea and examining scientific issues, a system framework is proposed for the high-quality development of smart ports driven by virtual‍–‍real integration technologies, covering the development positioning of technology systems, key technology development directions, and research directions in key fields. Suggestions for development are proposed from the perspectives of deepening application, policy incentives, technological demonstration, and talent cultivation, thereby providing a reference for the engineering application of the virtual–real integration technology system in smart ports.