Shipping carries around 90% of the world's freight and trade, providing a backbone for the global economy. Data can help ports operate more efficiently, and digital advances like the Internet of Things (IoT) can power new use cases. But they require state-of-the-art connectivity to enable this – can 5G be the enabler smart ports need?
5G has the potential to enable all kinds of new applications within ports, such as smart drones for real-time monitoring, real-time ship-to-shore communication for port-to-vessel traffic management, and just-in-time operations. Ports could accelerate the deployment and adoption of autonomous vessels thanks to 5G's low latency.
At present, typical port operations tend to be limited by the amount of data and information sharing they're able to do using current technologies. They generally rely on fiber optic cabling, supported by 3G or 4G mobile connectivity around the port. These networks enable some helpful use cases but are insufficient for full automation. 5G is a platform for creating a smart port.