As ports and rail yards deal with unprecedented supply chain issues, wireless communications companies are stepping up to help them pick up the speed. Buckeye Mountain, a wireless systems integrator, has integrated Cambium Networks’ fixed wireless and outdoor WiFi technology into its lineup of connectivity solutions for railroad and intermodal industries, the company said.
Cambium described a maritime port facility with poor cellular service that was able to improve its communications with a fixed wireless coverage deployment across its facility, which only took a few days. “After deploying fixed wireless and WiFi technology, they experienced consistent connectivity and higher data throughput,” the company said. “They are expanding their deployment to cover four additional ports and equip two container ships with the system to improve efficiency while in their home port.”
Last February, Ericsson released the report, “Connected Ports: A guide to making ports smarter with private cellular technology,” which discussed how 5G-ready private cellular networks can provide the connectivity required by a port’s network infrastructure to handle the large amounts of data generated by cranes, vehicles, equipment and workers.
In the maritime report findings, Ericsson collaborated with sensor technology provider, ifm electronic and Arthur D. Little, to examine the following smart port technologies and found that full deployment would result in a return on investment of 178 percent within five years:
- Remote-controlled ship-to-shore cranes
- Automated rubber tired gantry cranes that stack containers at terminals
- Automated guided vehicles that sport smart 3D sensors
- Condition monitoring, which detects faults before they occur
- Drones that deliver documents from ship to shore
By J. Sharpe Smith Inside Towers Technology Editor
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