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Thames Freeport reveals Connectivity Lab winners

[ April 8, 2026   //   ]

Thames Freeport has announced the winners of its Connectivity Lab programme, following a Demo Day held on 26 March. The programme, part of the Freeport’s strategy to promote globally-competitive industrial sectors and improve productivity, brings together businesses, high-growth scale-ups and public sector partners to address real-world challenges. Thames Freeport’s partners, Port of Tilbury, DP World London Gateway and Ford Dagenham, selected the winning technologies, which have been piloted across their sites. 

Supported by Thames Freeport’s £4m investment into 5G infrastructure through Verizon, as well as £1.2m invested directly into the Connectivity Lab by the Freeport, each innovation is expected to deliver at least a 25% increase in productivity. 

The Port of Tilbury is launching an extended pilot with Aible, which uses AI-based analysis to allow better and faster decisions. Tilbury also chose to continue the pilot with Allread, which uses CCTV-based AI imaging to improve the tracking of containers arriving and leaving the site by rail. The port is also extending a pilot with Streamwide, which provides a communication platform connecting all parties across the port.

Ford also chose to launch an extended pilot with Aible, and is implementing AI Agents to understand and improve vehicle movements. It also extended a pilot with Focalx, whose mobile device-based AI analysis enhances inspections of vehicles arriving and leaving the site,. Ford also piloted with Nokia, which use 5G-enabled cameras to provide fully immersive visual and aural operational spatial awareness in locations not currently covered by Ford’s existing capabilities.

DP World London Gateway was introduced to Conroo and Purple Transform through the Lab. Conroo provides a smartphone-based app to track container arrivals at the port gates, speeding lorry loading and discharge times and reducing congestion. Purple Transform alsop uses existing CCTV data to automate PPE detection, to improve staff welfare and safety. 

DP World also piloted MapBI, which built a digital twin of the port’s container inventory, to improve loading, discharge and inventory planning. 

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