Using RFID Technology in a Seaport Terminal

Economic application of AutoID and satellite navigation to back up operations

Anne SchweizerWolf Lampe

Agenda

1. Introduction• Roll-on/ Roll-off operations• Current focus: rolltrailer operation• Project background• Port of Bremerhaven, Germany

2. Operating mode (Animation)3. Verification and implementation4. Potentials5. Conclusion and outlook

Roll-on/Roll-off operations

Current focus: rolltrailer operation

Roll-on/Roll-off operationsType of goods handled:• cars, trucks, semi-trailers, farming

machinery etc.• machinery, boats etc. (on rolltrailers)

Project background

Average inventory at the RoRo-terminal of Bremerhaven:

• 500-1000 roll-trailers (owned by shipping companies)

• 15 terminal tractors with goosenecks for maneuvering rolltrailers (“Tugmasters”, BLG-owned)

• Throughput: 60.000 rolltrailers per year

Restrictions in physical growth (financial and topographic) call for a process oriented approach

Areal photograph port of Bremerhaven, Germany

Operations area high & heavy

Topographical restriction

Agenda

1. Introduction2. Operation mode (Animation)

• Process Analysis• Components• Arrival of the rolltrailer• Storing the rolltrailer• Retreival of the rolltrailer• Hierarchical AutoID- and localization system• Process analysis

3. Verification and implementation4. Potentials5. Conclusion and outlook

Process Analysis

retrieval ofrolltrailer

re‐locationof rolltrailer

undocumented re‐locations

vessel unloadedrolltrailer/ cargo documented

rolltrailer stored

rolltraileridentified

rolltrailerprovided

cargo placed on rolltrailer

vessel cast off

registration of cargo androlltrailer‐ID

towingrolltrailer

into storage yard

rolltrailer re‐located

cargo discharged

rolltrailer requested

request forspecific rolltrailer

vessel berthed

unloading fromRoRo‐vessel 

discharge ofcargo

provision ofrolltrailer

loading onrolltrailer

loading intoRo‐Ro‐vessel 

nextcycle

paper based register does not exclude acquisition of incorrect data

customer requiredspecific load carrier

storage location iswritten down

significant personal and fuel costs

project focus: real‐time documentation off all rolltrailer movements

Components

Rolltrailer•RFID tag

Tugmaster (towing tractoi)•GPS modul•RFID reader•WiFi connection•Docking sensor•Data terminal (tablet PC)

Staff managing rolltrailers•Data terminal with RFID reader and online‐connection•Stock of RFID tags

Operating mode – arrival of the rolltrailer

5757

RoRo‐Ferry‐

Nr. 1021

2

3

Automatic entry into database

Select RFID tag

Input data terminal: Link transponder 102to rolltrailer 57

Attach transponder on load carrier

Operating mode – storing the load carrier

What´s myposition?

RFID reader: Who´s there?

1 Permanently checking position and tag ID (minute cycle); logging data

Satellit (GPS)

Your position is B2

It´s me, tag 102

2 Sensor  reports uncoupling processData terminal: tag 102 is left on B2

3 Sending tag ID and location dataDatabase: tag 102 → rolltrailer 57→position update: rolltrailer 57 now on B2

Overall System

WIFI

Database update

Operating mode – retreival of rolltrailerA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q

1

2

3

4

5

6

6

8

9

10

11

Hall

OPC

Hall

TUG

Request: Collect trailer 57 on position J2

TUG

Hierarchical AutoID – and localization system

Automatic identification

•identification of individual rolltrailers•difficult environment (metal, corrosive air, rough handling ...)

Navigation

•continuous localization•sufficient accuracy•high availability

Communication

•interchange of real-time-data on rolltrailer positions and status

Economic design

•large number of rolltrailers equipped with low prize RFID-tags (recycled in close-loop-application)•small quantity of terminal tractors equipped with processing/RFID-reader/navigation/communication modules

Aspects of the solution

Verification and implementation. First Step: Demonstrator

demonstration of the operating mode

identification / navigation / communication / visualisation

Carpet with embedded RFID‐Tags (HF)

Rolltrailer carrying RFID‐Tag (HF)

RFID antenna

Gooseneck for coupling

RFID reader and Zigbee module

Java‐Application

Agenda

1. Introduction2. Operation mode (Animation)3. Verification and implementation

• Hardware installation• The RFID reader• GPS, Wireless Lan• Data Terminal• Identifying the optimal position for a RFID tag• First test results

4. Potentials5. Conclusion and outlook

Verification and implementation - hardware installation

RFID reader GPS and Wireless Lan data terminal 

Verification and implementation – the RFID reader

Deister UHF UDL100, Protection class: IP 65ISO 18000-6CEPC Class 1, Gen 2,Port: RS485-port

Verification and implementation – GPS, Wireless Lan

GPS-Module, 50 channels SBAS: WAAS, EGNOS,MSAS,GAGANGPS-antenna integratedProtection class: IP 65 WLAN module

Verification and implementation – data terminal

UniDat 12“ Terminal Slimca. 306 x 234 x 50 mmProtection class: IP 54

Identifying the optimal position for a RFID tag

Set up:20 passive RFID tags have been attached to 7 different rolltrailers2 different types of tags were used: „Deister“ and „Confidex“

Test:How do RFID tags „survive“ the mechanical stress and weather conditions (temperature varies from – 30 °C to +35 °C/ -22 °F to 95°F)?How endure transponders when transported onboard a vessel and handled by other seaport terminals for extended periods?Are the tags still operational after 1 week, 1 month, ½ year and over one year?

Results:No RFID tag has been destroyed or damaged

=> all tags are still intact after 20 months!

Tag

Tag

First test results

Reading distance 3-4 m

RFID tag attached

40 cm

Agenda

1. Introduction2. Operation mode (Animation)3. Verification and implementation4. Potentials5. Conclusion and outlook

Potentials

Reduced retrieval effort to locate rolltrailers

Continuous updated information on rolltrailers and – eventually - cargo

Foundation for intelligent strategies to reducehandling distances

strategical

operational

Real-time monitoring and data analysis as toolfor overall process improvement

Transparency or third-party equipment within the terminal based on validated time and location data

long-term

short-term

Extending a closed-loop-application to anopen-loop-solution

Objective

Implementation progress

Agenda

1. Introduction2. Operation mode (Animation)3. Verification and implementation4. Potentials5. Conclusion and outlook

Conclusion and outlook

Central objective of the project

Developing a system that captures position, time and status data of rolltrailers with the objective to improve rolltrailer management in RoRo-terminals and reduce use of costly resources.

Project development

Outlook

Once fully developed and tested the system can easily be extended to shipping companies and co-operating seaports – thus expanding the closed-loop-application to an open-loop-solution and thus rendering manual trailer identification at entry unnecessary!

Process analysis,conceptual design

Developing and implementation of software + hardware

Testing a proto-typical sytem

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