Tracking system monitors every bump and vibration

Just knowing where cargo is
at any particular time is all
good and well. Being able to
give clients the reassurance of
what is happening to that very
same cargo in real time is the
ultimate.
And this is what ICM
Group has achieved with the
development and patenting of
its new G-Track system.
“It started off as just an
idea – something that would
be great to have. About two
years ago we set about turning
it into reality,” says Kriba
Naiken, ICM Group managing
director: shipping. “Initially
we were told that a real-time
system not only tracking cargo
but basically telling you what
is happening to that cargo at
any given time or place, was
impossible.”
But persistence paid off for
the global logistics company
and in December the system
became operational. “We
recently used it during the
transportation of a transformer
for Siemens from Rotterdam
to Richards Bay and from
there to the Medupi power
station in Lephalale in
Limpopo. Taking into account
the value of the cargo, this
system is phenomenal as it
is monitoring the condition
of the cargo 24 hours a day,
seven days a week in real
time, and should anything
go wrong, we will know
immediately.”
Described as a unique,
fully autonomous remote
monitoring system that
enables ICM to track
movement of cargo during
handling and transportation, it
not only tracks the
precise location of cargo, but
also monitors every bump and
vibration on all three axes.
“It can even monitor the
ambient temperature. What
makes this system so unique is
that it can be as complex or as
simple as the client requires,
and can be tailor-made to suit
their needs. And it is done
cost-effectively,” says Naiken.
G-track consists of an
onboard monitoring system
that is a self-powered device
that assimilates all movement
data. Mounted on the
cargo the device measures
acceleration in all three aces
such as the roll, pitch and yaw
of a cargo vessel or the bumps
and vibrations during overland
transportation.
All measured data is
reported to an off board
management server via a
stable remote communications
link in real time that provides
a web interface to the client.
“We therefore know
what condition the cargo is
experiencing at any time,”
says Naiken.