Durban port spells out wireless technology ambitions

The Port of Durban is forging ahead
with plans to go digital and has just
completed pilot projects for the use
of drones and other innovations
that could see operations conducted
through wireless technology in future.
Information, management and
services manager for Transnet
National Ports Authority at the Port
of Durban, Ristha Joga, outlined the
recent successful pilot project which
forms part of the “Smart People’s Port”
concept at the African Ports Evolution
2016 conference that drew hundreds
of international logistics and shipping
industry experts and professionals to
the city last week.
Joga said the three-month pilot
project that tested the use of drones
and other technologies such as
3D printing and smart meters
provided a glimpse into the new
era of port surveillance, monitoring
and communication using wireless
technology. The project, which forms
part of Transnet’s Market Demand
Strategy, was completed at the end of
August.
“A Smart People’s Port will result in
an efficient data-rich and informationrich
eco-system connecting port assets,
port employees, terminal operators
and the port community – including
road and rail. It will also help the ports
to achieve a more focused customercentric
technology that will reduce the
latency of information sharing and
result in a more informed decisionmaking
process,” Joga said.
Aerial and underwater drones, as
well as track and trace technology used
to track port assets such as tugs and
dredgers, had been successfully piloted,
he added. The three-month-long pilot
project had showed that drones could
be used to safely inspect infrastructure
and the condition of the sea bed,
without interrupting port operations.
Drone technology could also assist in
collecting information on port traffic,
while sensor technology was used to
provide port and terminal performance
management data, including capacity
use, berth occupancy, port limit access
and civilian count during surveillance
and security management.
Smart meters were also used to
convert analogue information to digital
data for electricity and water metering
and 3D printing was explored to make
port and precinct modelling easier for
port development projects.
She added that the port had also
introduced a mobile application
designed to streamline complaints
and problems reported to improve
accountability, transparency and
communication with port users and the
government.