Smart Port Leap: Smawave Powers Optimization at Overseas Container Terminals

Product overview:

The port logistics and transportation industry is accelerating its transformation to intelligent automation. Unmanned ships, automated cargo handling equipment, and remote monitoring systems have become core components of terminal operations, which has put forward an urgent need for high-bandwidth, low-latency, and ultra-stable communication networks. However, today's terminals face challenges such as unstable connections in harsh environments, delayed data transmission, and inefficient integration of new and existing equipment, which have hindered the large-scale advancement of unmanned operations. To solve these problems,  Smawave deploys an advanced 5G industrial router solution to build a powerful communication hub for its smart port ecosystem.

Challenges:

The terminal’s complex environment： saltwater corrosion, heavy rain, electromagnetic interference from cranes and generators, and signal fluctuations due to moving vessels, posed severe tests for network equipment durability and stability.

Real-Time Transmission: Unmanned operations, such as autonomous vessel docking and coordinated cargo handling, required millisecond-level latency for control commands to avoid operational errors.

Device Integration: The terminal operated a mix of new smart devices (e.g., HD cameras, IoT sensors) and legacy industrial systems, demanding seamless connectivity to reduce retrofitting costs.

Safety Assurance: Critical signals like equipment fault alarms and collision warnings need priority transmission to ensure rapid emergency responses.

Solution:

Smawave deployed its SRA Series 5G industrial routers to address the terminal’s challenges, with key features tailored to smart port needs.

Key Features:

Seamless Integration: Multi-Ethernet + PoE ports for HD cameras/sensors; RS485/RS232 for legacy systems. 

Rugged Design: IP67 metal casing resists corrosion/EMI—ideal for cranes, storms, and saltwater.

Real-Time Control: Millisecond latency enables autonomous docking/cargo handling via cloud commands.  

Safety First: Priority transmission for collision alerts & fault signals, ensuring rapid response.

Product operation cases:

①At a major container terminal in Europe, the daily operations of 50 unmanned cargo vessels depend entirely on the communication network built by Smawave SRA Series 5G industrial routers.

②When these vessels carry out cross-terminal cargo transfer tasks, the routers transmit real-time footage of in-cabin cargo conditions via HD cameras connected through multiple Ethernet ports. Simultaneously, via RS485 serial ports linked to the vessel’s power systems, they sync critical

③Even amid heavy rain and intense electromagnetic interference from high-frequency crane operations at the port, the IP67-rated all-metal casing ensures network stability.  When vessels pass through signal dead zonesIts seamless handover technology guarantees that route adjustment commands from the control center take effect instantly data, such as engine speed and fuel consumption, to the cloud-based control center.

④During an unexpected mechanical failure of one vessel, the router’s priority transmission mechanism prioritized the fault signal, allowing the control center to activate a backup vessel dispatch plan within 15 seconds and preventing operational downtime at the terminal.

Results:

Improved efficiency: The "ship-cloud" real-time data link supports unmanned inspections around the clock, and managers can remotely monitor the cabin environment, cargo status, and power system parameters. Automated cargo loading and unloading, driven by precise transmission of instructions from the control center, speeds up cargo turnover.

Cost reduction: Industrial-grade durability reduces the frequency of equipment replacement, stable network support reduces labor costs, and significantly improves operational efficiency.

Unmanned operation scale: The reliability and economy of the solution promote the large-scale implementation of unmanned ship operations, laying the foundation for comprehensive smart port automation.

Conclusion:

     Smawave SRA facilitates the large-scale adoption of unmanned vessel operations by streamlining network deployment and cutting operational and maintenance costs. Its plug-and-play functionality minimizes on-site debugging time, while industrial-grade durability lowers equipment replacement rates. Backed by stable network connectivity, it also reduces labor costs associated with vessel operations. These improvements drive significant gains in operational efficiency, providing sustained momentum for the high-performance operation of smart terminals.