The journey to port automation

Port automation, and the journey to achieving this, is fast becoming a key factor towards streamlining operations, increasing efficiency levels, and raising productivity across the UK ports sector.

Cogent Distribution has recently worked with an integratorAn integrator (or system(s) integrator) working in the field... More on an interesting port automation scenario for a UK port that was regularly handling heavy goods, such as large containers, with trucks, other vehicles and cranes operating in a dedicated heavy goods area. In this area of the port, large commercial tractors and goods vehicles were operating, and it wasn’t possible to enter the area and disrupt the port’s 24/7 operation. There was also a train line running through the port and it wasn’t feasible to run fibre cable across the train line. Additionally, the port needed the flexibility to change the layout of its heavy goods area, which would have caused problems if a fixed fibre network had been installed, whereas a wireless solution offered the port the ability to move wireless equipment to a new location to suit the changing requirements of port operations.

When it came to hardware, the port required a rugged solution to ensure 100% uptime with automatic redundancy as it would take several days to arrange a maintenance window for repair work or replacements to be made. Cogent Distribution ensured the correct hardware was selected from our vendors and designed a robust, secure solution that was able to support the nomadic and mobility requirements within the port area.

Port automation solutions

The initial project for the port simply required connectivity to be established between two buildings separated by approximately 4km with a train line between them. The solution was to install a high-speed point-to-point (PtPWireless point-to-point (PtP) links are a type of telecommun... More) wireless link.

Once the point-to-point link was in, the port wanted next to automate the lights and access the CCTV cameras on the lighting columns they had scattered around the grounds of the port. Because of the 24/7 nature of the port’s operations, they couldn’t dig up the port to run fibre optic cables across to all the lighting columns. The solution was to install a wireless point-to-multipoint network for them. A tall building was identified within the port and a sector base stationBase station is the term given to a PtMP wireless sector fro... More was put up, and from there, wireless network connectivity could be distributed to each of the lighting columns. This enabled the lighting controls and sensors to be automated, and Wi-Fi was also provided for staff operating trucks because they needed Wi-Fi for scanning items with their handheld scanners.

Automating vessel connectivity

Vessels entered the port two to three times a day and could be berthed alongside for several hours, so the port requested a high-speed internet connection for the vessels whilst berthed alongside. The answer was to treat the vessels basically as another extension to the port’s network, thus removing any VPNA virtual private network (VPN) is the setting up of a prote... More requirement or additional security layers. Hardware equipment was installed on each of the vessels, which was integrated with the vessel’s infrastructure and engineered so that when the vessels were approaching the port, the equipment would automatically connect to the solution and the vessel could start offloading and uploading its data before it had even arrived in port. We also installed a load balancing solution enabling the vessel’s network to determine the best connectivity path, either by fixed wirelessFixed wireless is the operation of wireless communication de... More or via VSAT.

For the port, the connectivity solution provided was a critical requirement to enable the efficient updating of navigational systems and onboard software. Previously, an IT technician or engineer had had to be sent onboard a vessel to plug in physical data sticks and memory sticks to transfer the information, so by automatically connecting a ship to the port’s network when it came into port, they could now automate software updates, data offload and so on. This solution was replicated and rolled out to six other ports, so no matter which of the six ports these vessels went to, they would automatically be able to seamlessly offload their data.

Crew welfare

The key requirement for the vessels had initially been to enable software and navigational updates onboard. However, when the vessel’s crew had been at sea for some time and relying on VSAT connectivity, they had experienced limited data, but now when the crew were in port, they used the port’s new connectivity solution for ships to download movies and communicate with family, which made going to certain ports very popular because they knew there would be good internet connectivity!

Container search and location

The port had another unique automation requirement that involved OCR (optical character recognition). Essentially, a crane driver in his cab had a tablet plugged into the crane and needed to be able to read the number plates of lorries driving under the crane so that he knew which container to go and collect from the container stack to then load back onto the lorry. The solution came from the wireless connectivityWireless connectivity is a method of network connectivity fo... More that had already been provided to the port’s lighting columns, which in turn provided Wi-Fi to the crane driver’s tablet so he could connect to the CCTV network to monitor the cameras at the same time. This solution also gave the driver direct access to the port network, thereby removing any complex networking requirements, which often added delay or latency to the operation.

Network operation

Once the system and network had been successfully built, installed and commissioned, the port operator and their IT department were given full control of the network, so they could access, control and monitor the network remotely. Hardware and network monitoring was provisioned using an NMS (network management system) providing real-time and predictive alerting.

Where next?

Cogent Distribution offers a wide range of best-of-breed connectivity technology solutions suitable for digitalisation and automation projects at ports and harbours, docks and terminals, for shipping, ferries, and the leisure marine industries. We deliver these solutions with our market-leading vendors: RADWIN, SAF Tehnika, Teltonika Networks, Peplink, RF elements, Perle Systems, Siklu by Ceragon, Nextivity, and Kymata.

Do get in touch to talk to our technical and solutions team to discuss your journey to port automation: +44 (0)1635 917722 | [email protected].