Navigating Smart Ports
Shipping ports are essential to the sustaining the global economy and handle 90 percent of goods. With every-increasing vessel size and cargo volumes, ports operators are challenged to keep pace with demands while maintaining a competitive edge. Smart ports enable a wide range of efficiencies and economic benefits for port operations, supply chain, customers and the environment.
A Blueprint for Smart Ports
A private 5G network and edge cloud is at the heart of smart port operations. It needs to be able to deliver the high bandwidth, low latency, strong security and reliability essential for 24 x 7 operations.
A private 5G network, offers ports the required secure connectivity coverage and performance needed to ensure predictable end-to-end operations.
- Improve supply chain efficiencies – meet schedules
- Reduce vehicle traffic and improve safety in and around the port
- Reduce risk of data security breaches
- Reduce downtime due to network connectivity failures, equipment malfunctions and injuries
- Increase productivity and bottom line
Remote Control of
Gantry Cranes
Today, a gantry crane operator works in a small cab that is typically 100 feet in the air. They use multiple video feeds from cameras to control the crane operations, lifting containers and loading/unloading ships. The job can lead to safety hazards and operator fatigue.
Remote control of gantry cranes can enable one operator to control 3-6 cranes in real-time while working in a control room. This can increase productivity by 35% and reduce labor cost by 15% in addition to improving safety in addition to helping reducing cargo and transportation congestion.
To support this application, each crane utilizes a large number of sensors and HD cameras. This necessitates high bandwidth and low latency between the remote control and the crane.
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs)
Today, ports operate with large number of tractors, each with a driver, to move cargo within the port.
Replacing the tractors with AGVs offers a range of benefits. AGVs optimize routes and minimize vehicle congestion, improving productivity by 23%., decreasing labor cost by 74% and reducing energy costs by 10% in addition to reducing collisions and vehicle congestion.
To support this application, each AGV requires various sensors for safe navigation and a reliable network connection with low latency.
Condition Monitoring
of Port Equipment
Today, port equipment such as cranes, tractors and AGVs, are maintained based upon a schedule. 25% of equipment damage cost is due to inadequate or incorrect maintenance.
The ability to monitor the operating conditions of multiple variables of these key assets such as vibration and temperature can reduce maintenance costs by as much as 75%.
To support this application, continuous centralized monitoring of assets, using multiple sensors on each piece of equipment, enables early detection of potential faults and can help in quickly pinpointing the source of the problem leading to faster resolution.
Building a Smart Port Foundation
A communications network is the foundation of Smart Port operations. Why? Because even a 5 minute connectivity-based work stoppage can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. As such, a smart post needs to be built with the right features in mind from the ground up.
ONF has built Aether, an open source 5G Connected Edge-as-a-service platform that is operational today with edge sites around the world. It combines 5G private communications and edge cloud network services delivering the essential high bandwidth, low latency, strong security and reliability essential for 24 x 7 smart port operations. With a private network, ports can determine coverage needed to ensure predictable end-to-end operations.
Unlike many cellular private network solutions, Aether, is the first (and only) 5G platform. It reduces enterprise total cost of ownership, being
- Based upon open source and economics of COTs hardware
- Offered as a fully managed cloud-based service
ONF is inviting select ports to
participate in a Private 5G Rapid
Prototyping Program.
The Program is designed to foster innovation and support early adopters who commit to collaborating on a rapid prototype of an OT or IIoT (Industry 4.0) use case using 5G.
Based on a $30M grant, ONF is providing (at no charge) equipment and assistance to qualified participants to build prototype smart port solutions leveraging private 5G and edge cloud capabilities in order to accelerate development of commercial applications that will bring competitive advantage to US businesses.
If you are interested in exploring participation in this exciting Program, please send an email to eric@opennetworking.org