5G and unmanned cranes will be combined for smart port operation

By Lim Chang-won Posted : August 21, 2019, 11:25 Updated : August 21, 2019, 11:25

[Aju News DB]


SEOUL -- A 5G communication network will be combined with unmanned cranes for the world's first demonstration of 5G-based smart port operation through a joint project by LGU+, a South Korean mobile carrier, and Seoho Electric, the developer of a port crane control system.

LGU+ said in a statement on Wednesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Seoho Electric to combine a 5G network with automated port cranes. Cranes can be operated flexibly depending on cargo unloading traffic through the remote control of containers.

"Since it is the world's first port system that operates on a 5G commercial network, we will focus on increasing quantitative and qualitative completion of our business," said Suh Jae-yong, vice president of LGU+'s corporate 5G business unit. They agreed to establish a port crane remote control and automation system and prepare an ultra-low latency video transmission solution for the remote control of cranes.

A 5G smart port technology would be applied to storage yard cranes that move freely between yard blocks without rails at container terminals.

"The 5G commercial network solution enables the stable automation system of cranes and yard transport equipment in the open storage yard where the establishment of optical cables is difficult," Seoho Electric CEO Kim Seung-nam said, adding that the two companies should meet demands from overseas customers by solving security and other problems.

Smart ports employ smart technology solutions such as big data, Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain to increase efficiency and security. In a smart port, processes would be automated and connected via IoT. However, there are concerns about data privacy and security. A true smart port requires a more holistic multi-stakeholder approach that would require large-scale cooperation on many different levels. Automation cannot be fully utilized if there is a lack of basic infrastructure.

In April, the port of Busan, the hub of South Korea's maritime transportation, announced a project to establish a blockchain-based terminal-to-terminal cargo transit system to efficiently track and manage shipments in real-time. Busan, some 326 kilometers (202 miles) southeast of Seoul, has the country's most crowded seaport, but information about cargo was not shared between transport companies and shippers in real-time.

Blockchain is a decentralized service which shares replicated and synchronized data geographically spread across multiple servers operated by countries or organizations. Each virtual ledger works as a verification tool, making it almost impossible to hack or manipulate.
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