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Felixstowe launches 5G project to cut crane downtime

[ March 3, 2022   //   ]

Felixstowe has become the largest UK port to deploy 5G technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Port of Felixstowe along with consortium members, Three UK, Blue Mesh Solutions and the University of Cambridge gained grant funding under the government 5G Testbeds and Trials programme for a project to prove 5G’s capabilities in a busy port environment.

Six quay cranes are being fitted with IoT Sensors to understand the stresses and strains placed on them by day-to-day operation.  Using 5G to transmit the data enables these systems to operate in real-time which could enable ‘in the moment’ safety-critical applications.

An algorithm will maximise the amount of time cranes are in use and will reduce the cost associated with emergency repairs and day-to-day maintenance.

Felixstowe says that only the 5G network can handle the huge volume of data collected which will be used to ‘train’ the algorithm.

The project is due to complete in September 2022.

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