Many companies all over the world use container traffic for delivering their goods and cargo. The process of transportation by sea differs in its complexity and requires many stages. The navigation and indoor positioning system make it possible to be sure that the necessary goods are on the right vessel. Thanks to this system, the container arrangement and other useful information, including the port of loading, dimensions, weight, destination, will be available to the employees of the logistics center at any suitable time.
Technologies for shipping container tracking
Various container tracking systems can be used for implementing the cargo monitoring system into the infrastructure of logistics centers. In recent years such technologies as RFID and iBeacon are considered the most effective ones.
RFID
RFID belongs to the systems of automatic object identification that function as means of radio signal transmission. All the containers and equipment in the warehouse are equipped with special transponders (RFID tags) that can be detected by the readers. While moving cargo, the readers detect the signals from the tags and carry out container tracking with location accuracy in the range of 20-300 m. Users receive detailed information on cargos, including the time of loading, state, and the place of assignment.
RFID technology provides the following possibilities:
- cargo monitoring in real-time;
- using the unlimited number of tags and readers for tracking;
- getting information on containers and their moving via the application.
The container tracking system allows implementation into the company’s infrastructure various modules that simplify and speed up the work of the logistics center. Thus, the platform can function with the heat tracking module that controls humidity and temperature inside a container (actual for perishable goods). If necessary, the shipping container tracking technology can be used with the gate control module that defines the difference in the weight of the container at the entrance and exit. One more useful function is the security camera module.
iBeacon
iBeacon is Bluetooth shipping container tracking technology whose performance is based on BLE beacons placed on each object. The warehouse territory is equipped with special reading devices that detect the signals from the beacons and send the obtained information to the server. After processing the data, users can define the location of the cargo inside the warehouse or vessel with accuracy from 1 to 3 m.
Access to the container can be obtained via the mobile application that can help to create interactive maps for shipping container tracking on the map and build routes to the necessary objects.
After implementing it into the enterprise infrastructure, the iBeacon system performs the following functions:
- container tracking in real-time;
- getting information on cargos;
- obtaining analytical data on the traffic;
- distributing tasks among the staff;
- notification about incidents;
- defining staff location.
The system can track not only containers with cargo but also the company’s equipment (cranes, pallets, goods trolleys, etc.).
Learn more about pallet tracking solutions.
Benefits from implementing container and cargo monitoring systems
Container tracking solutions bring the following benefits:
- minimizing costs on cargo movement;
- reducing shipping container downtime;
- quick detection of delays in loading, arrangement, and movement of goods;
- tuning automatic alarms for emergencies;
- increasing the level of safety for workers and other staff;
- staff performance monitoring with an immediate reaction to working processes;
- possibility to adjust daily tasks in real-time.
Navigine is glad to offer effective solutions for tracking containers and cargo inside warehouses and logistics centers. By the way, a few weeks ago we took part in the PortXL accelerator program, which is targeted at the maritime industry, and managed to get into many selected companies.
