Client Overview
Dubai Ports World (DPW) is a major marine port operator with 49 terminals in 31 countries with a further 12 ports under development. DPW was founded through a merger between Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Ports International. In 2006, DPW acquired Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). DPW handles over 46.8 million Twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), with capacity expected to double over the next ten years.
Problem
In expectation of increased TEU growth, and with limited land/labour resources, DPW, like many marine terminal operators, is seeking to boost productivity through the implementation of time/cost optimizing technologies.
Manual processing of trucks at entry/exit gates is an obvious inefficient process, with congestion and costly hold-ups occurring frequently, directly affecting DPW’s bottom line profitability.
Solution
System Overview
Ramp implemented a robust truck gate-processing automation system for DPW using Identec’s Intelligent Long Range (ILR) active RFID system. This truck cabin and read zones installed at all truck entries and exits; DPW is able to automatically process trucks, reducing truck queue time, resulting in increased productivity and accuracy. Position marker technology with in-road ground loop antennas were installed at each truck lane in order to provide discrete lane visibility, allowing DPW to know which particular lane a truck is occupying.
Ramp’s IQ Beacon middleware provides the connecting link between Identec’s RFID equipment and DPW’s Terminal Operating System (TOS), and is also responsible for project-specific business logic and error reporting.
System Components
Component
Picture
Description
i-B2L tag
Beacon Tag, 100m read range, long battery life, position marker enabled
i-Port MB reader
RS422, 2 antenna ports, 2000-tag simultaneous read
i-Mark 3 position marker
125kHz, DC powered, external loop inputs
IQ Beacon Middleware
.NET, GUI, Read Filtering, XML integration
Result
DPW’s truck tracking system has been running continuously since 2009 with 100% accuracy. It has allowed DPW to process trucks autonomously, saving labour costs and removing expensive human-related errors.
Client testimonial
“Ramp have delivered an extremely high level of service to our project. Prompt rectification and at times clarification to any issue raised has really assisted DP World during system transition. Thank you.”
Joe Schofield National Manager Operations Efficiency DP World Australia