The Port of Rotterdam’s high-tech ‘smart’ container project, dubbed ‘Container 42’, is set to leave the port today to begin the first leg of a two-year mission that will take the box around the world while collecting a wide array of data about its condition during various stages of transport.
The container houses an array of sensors and communications equipment which will measure changes in parameters like vibration, slope, position, sound, local air pollution, humidity and temperature during its travels.
The unit has also been fitted with solar panels, which can be used to determine how much power a container can generate during a given journey by ship, train or truck.
The Port of Rotterdam says that the collected data will be used to provide insight into the challenges faced during transport and logistics, and contribute to the ongoing development of a so-called ‘digital twin’ for the port: a digital representation of the actual, physical port area.
This next stage of Rotterdam’s evolution into a ‘smart’ port will leverage the Port Authority’s existing Internet of Things (IoT) platform, a Cloud-based system which collects and processes data from sensors installed throughout the port area.
Container 42 is a collaborative project that has been supported by a range of stakeholders, including IBM, Cisco, Esri, Axians, Intel, HyET Solar, Van Donge & de Roo, Awake.ai, Betta Batteries, Simwave, Advanced Mobility Services, Kalmar and Shipping Technology.
