Port Of Hamburg Uses IoT For Smart Traffic And Light Management

The Port of Hamburg Authority (PHA) is using the Internet of Things (IoT) and real time analytics to manage traffic, monitor incidents, infrastructure and the environment in Europe’s biggest port.

Authorities can detect traffic incidents automatically and alert other authorities, while they can also assess weather conditions and what impact this will have on commuters and vehicles.

Smart lighting has also been deployed to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists but also to reduce energy consumption. Real time data on moving infrastructure, such as the Kattwyk Lifting Bridge is also provided, allowing maintenance teams to predict and plan repairs.

Hamburg smart road

All data collected by the various sensors is analysed and presented via a centralised dashboard. Cisco, one of the partners in the first ‘smartROAD’ deployment in Europe, promises the network is secure and complies with data protection regulations.

For example, faces and car number plates in images taken by CCTV cameras are blurred out before they even enter the network, ensuring all data is anonymised. Other partners in the project include Philips, AGT International, World Sensing, Kiwi and T-Systems, which have provided analytics software, sensors and intelligent lighting among other components.

“With smartROAD, HPA is piloting an integrated concept of the Internet of Everything for the first time, with various relevant use cases for port and the city, running on a real infrastructure”, said Sebastian Saxe, CIO of the HPA.

Traffic management and smart transportation are touted as two possible applications that can be powered by Smart Cities. Operators and suppliers claim such infrastructure could transform the management of public services, stimulate urban development and improve the lives of citizens through connectivity and associated services.

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