Ports form a vital part of international trade mechanisms in today’s rapidly changing world. Responsible for accepting and dispatching vast swathes of cargo each day to global destinations, there has never been a more crucial time for those involved in the industry to make sure their operations and processes are up to scratch. Advances in technology are made continuously. revealing a welcomed ability not to only monitor but predict fluctuations and future needs.

The use of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications is not only on the rise but quickly becoming an essential part of the puzzle when it comes to maintaining efficiency at ports. From end-users to manufacturers to vendors, the value that can be added to port infrastructures with a considered and effective use of IIoT tools is becoming highly sought after.

Efficiency at every level

As part of this shift towards higher levels of IIoT integration, drone use is escalating. From container and cargo management, to national security, data storage and logis­tics management, drones can be used across the entire supply chain.

The benefits to be realized from a heavier reliance on drones are immense. First, their agility to reach all parts of port locations at speed cannot be underestimated. Tasks that would have taken several man-hours in the past are now being efficiently carried out more speedily and effectively than ever before.

As deployments multiply, feedback from various deployments of new technologies is being gathered and analyzed to assess and advance more extensive drone integration.

Transforming seaports

While most are prevalent in the military and defense industry, seaports are climbing to the top of the list of sectors which can reap the benefits of drones.

Seaport operators can maximize their potential by taking advantage of small, lightweight drones. These aerial platforms can collect and transfer large amounts of information, work around a range of obstacles and operate days or even weeks over long distances. As a result, ports are evaluating drones for a range of critical use cases, including monitoring road traffic in the port. With truck drivers continually working their way in and out through a port, drones have the ability to increase the visibility of all moving vehicles. This allows operators to reduce lane blockages and congestion. as well as speed up stacking times, which is critical in busy periods such as December, when cargo shipping skyrockets.

Drones can also provide logistical support with a birds-eye view of port operations and infrastructure. Instead of a truck driver searching for a container, for example, they can be told where to go and wait for the container. By doing this, port operators can minimize the level of vehicle and container movement and can significantly boost their daily operations. With this technology at hand, ports can also track their employees in terms of safety and output.

With the international shipping industry responsible for the carriage of around 90 percent of world trade, ports have become high-risk targets for terrorism, theft and traffick­ing. Drones can provide an extra layer of security to a port’s existing security, monitoring and surveillance.

Furthermore, in locations which are hard to reach and in rescue operations, flight data, as well as video streams from multiple drones in the field, can be quickly sent to a ground station operator, allowing them to scan a large area. Drones can also be used to inspect and diagnose a wide range of issues with a port’s equipment and the maintenance thereof.

Now the benefits are clear; modern ports cannot achieve their potential without the capabilities that drone usage can offer. When it comes to implementing increased drone usage at seaports, the path is not always straightforward, and various challenges can exist.

Challenges on the road ahead

There are many challenges which lie on the way to achieving mission-critical mobile port connectivity.

As demands increase and the volume of data rockets, existing mobile infrastructure is failing to keep pace. As a result, they are being expanded beyond their capacity, which will, inevitably, cause problems further down the line. Furthermore, wireless equipment is more likely to fail when exposed to harsh coastal environments, such as ports.

The number of ground vehicles, quay cranes, forklifts and people across ports is also increasing, which is fueling signal interference issues. Combined with this is also the number of customers, tenants and international agencies and moving parts within the port, which present further disruptions when it comes to using IIoT applications enabled by real-time data.

Last but not least, ports have also become high-risk targets for terrorism and other malicious breaches, meaning security factors and concerns are at an all-time high. It’s essential that port operators are empowered by a network which can overcome real-life changes, in real-time.

The right network in place

A frequent request is that drones can follow and respond to multiple requirements from various points at any one time. The challenge is that port environments have many moving parts, each with potentially extreme and significant requirements for the highest security. Furthermore, the harsh climate of an intermodal port also makes constant connectivity challenging.

Consequently, operators need to modernize their mainly wired networks rapidly. That is why, a network that is scalable, dynamic and can operate in real-time is vital if operators are to keep up with the constant flow of goods in and out of a port, as well as enable the proper functioning of autonomous equipment. Overall, drones will only be as good as the supporting network infrastructure.

When trying to bring reliable and scalable mobile connectivity to every corner of the port terminal, traditional wireless networks aren’t fit for the job. That is because these Wi-Fi networks are not designed to provide reliable connectivity over widespread and complex areas such as port environments, especially when assets within that environment – like drones – are highly mobile.

For instance, in Wi-Fi and faux-mesh networks, mobile nodes continually break and re-establish connectivity as they move between access points, and each break results in a temporary loss of communications. If personnel or port equipment is sending data to each other or the command center during these periods of lost or broken connectivity, the information is at best delayed, but more likely completely dropped. In ports, the consequences of a dropping connection could potentially be catastrophic and as a result, port operations will either cease or stall. With operations suffering a domino effect, the impact on the drones themselves would also be severe. For example, if there is latency or delay in data transmission to a drone, it will stop functioning and effectively nullify its productivity and efficiency benefits.

Traditional networks also dedicate frequencies to a single purpose which increases the risk of dropped or slowed traffic. Data can only travel one way to reach a server, and performance factors like interference, congestion or node outages are not accounted for, meaning data would have no way to route around these issues even if they were detected.

Granted, networks like these can be arranged specially to avoid such signal interferences but only in a static and predictable environment. Such configuration is unrealistic in ports, where large metal equipment and cargo containers – the key culprits of signal blockage and interference – are always in motion.

Additionally, there is a correlation between data security and the quality of the network. With seaports implement­ing drones, the number of interconnected devices, sensors and cameras on site is fast-growing, but this also expands the need to secure and authenticate the communication traffic moving in, out and around the network. Tradition­al network infrastructure is not sophisticated enough to cope with the wider terrain of threats.

In light of this, it’s clear that a traditional network infrastructure lacks the agility to support a dynamic port’s mission-critical mobility requirements. A wireless network which helps ports rapidly deploy fully mobile, highly adaptable and secure connectivity is critical if seaport operators are to capitalize fully on next-generation applications such as drones.

Amplified assets

Technology is playing a massive part in the transformation of the world’s ports. From remote control cranes to automated systems to speed up the loading and unloading of cargo, the common goal at the heart of each port is simpler, more effective operational methods, to drive the best return on investment.

To make this a reality, seaport operators must have the ability to transform virtually any asset, fixed or moving, into a node on its network infrastructure. This offers the best possible chance to transfer data while enabling ubiquitous and continuous location tracking via highly accurate differential GPS to ensure precise location capabilities of devices and port vehicles. This also allows operators to remain connected to other automated, ground-based drones, forklifts, and trucks while they navigate the port.

Furthermore, the network must also be able to maintain multiple and simultaneous connections at all times, removing any single point of failure so that the possibility of downtime can be eliminated.

With the right mesh technology in place, it can support the high bandwidth that is required to support drone initiatives throughout a port, from streaming live remote video to dispatchers, security officials and first responders to maintaining visual communications with patrolling unmanned aerial or ground vehicles.

Smart way to seaport success

Seeking out the best ways to implement any new infrastructure and place more reliance on modern technologies can be daunting. What can be assured is that with the right technology in place, port operators can embrace the opportunities that the IIoT has brought forward. The magic of connectivity will be highly beneficial, but it will involve a reliable and robust network to make these innovations happen.

This, in turn, will open up new opportunities to transmit data in real-time, right at the network edge, as well as allow seaports to secure access to applications, on land or sea. This mechanism forms a successful approach for the tracking of containers and monitoring of assets as a result.

Video surveillance is also a hugely important component and something that can be amplified from the deployment of an effective IoT system. In doing this successfully, operators can also have access to critical information promptly, giving them the tools they need to perform at a higher level than ever before.

As unpredictable as the future will be, advanced infrastructures will undoubtedly feature, with expectations being raised as a result, for better, more responsive and monitorable structures at facilities such as ports. Drones and various other means will be integral to the total transformation of ports and a more connected and accurate approach to cargo management, worldwide.