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Day: 7 October 2021

Virtual conference to promote investment in Jamaica

Posted on by David Priestman

The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) will be staging Explore: Do Business Jamaica Virtual Investment Conference (DBJVIC) from November 17th–18th, 2021 to introduce local and international investors to business opportunities in the island’s growing industries.

The event will showcase emerging projects and new developments in Agribusiness, Outsourcing, Manufacturing, Energy, Tourism, and the Creative Industries through over 30 panels, interviews and discussions with government and business leaders. The investment conference aims to foster business and stakeholder relationships and will shed light on Jamaica’s COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.

The conference will be staged concurrently via two platforms; one is a virtual interactive business event portal that will facilitate a real-time engagement experience and B2B meetings, the second is a live stream event via social media that will accommodate and drive increased awareness of Jamaica’s economic progress. This format will help JAMPRO to engage attendees including current and potential investors, JAMPRO clients, private and public sector stakeholders, and diplomatic missions.

JAMPRO anticipates extensive global participation based on the planned international promotions which will ensure the leveraging of the virtual B2B meeting platform by potential investors.

New opportunity to do business

Speaking about the event, Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment, and Commerce, The Honourable Audley Shaw, CD, MP., noted that the virtual investment conference has presented a new opportunity for the government to amplify the promotion of Jamaica’s business opportunities: “This virtual conference will allow us to reach and directly engage investors across the globe who are interested in doing business with Jamaica but need further market intelligence and guidance on the potential that is available in the island’s sectors. From our perspective, it is the right time to host this global event, as persons are seeking new ventures as the world slowly returns to normality.”

Diane Edwards, President of JAMPRO, echoed the Minister’s statements, and expressed confidence in the conference’s ability to deliver results for Jamaica and attendees. She said: “The format of the conference is powerful, because it presents an excellent opportunity for global business leaders to get valuable insight on Jamaican investment opportunities, engage their colleagues in various industries, and explore bankable projects, all in the location of their choice.

“We believe that this event will lead to the development of lucrative partnerships and financial opportunities for local and international investors.”

Interested persons are invited to register for the event at explore.dobusinessjamaica.com.

Explore: Do Business Jamaica Virtual Investment Conference is a two-day event that will highlight investment and other business opportunities in Jamaica. The event, hosted by Jamaica’s investment and export promotion agency, JAMPRO, will provide a platform for attendees to learn more about Jamaican investment opportunities, see lucrative projects, and build business relationships.

Explore: Do Business Jamaica Virtual Investment Conference is sponsored by the Foundations for Competitiveness and Growth Project (FCGP), National Commercial Bank (NCB), Mystique Integrated, and M-One Productions.

The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO)’s mission is to drive economic development through growth in investment and export. JAMPRO is an Agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment, and Commerce.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Virtual conference to promote investment in Jamaica

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) will be staging Explore: Do Business Jamaica Virtual Investment Conference (DBJVIC) from November 17th–18th, 2021 to introduce local and international investors to business opportunities in the island’s growing industries.

The event will showcase emerging projects and new developments in Agribusiness, Outsourcing, Manufacturing, Energy, Tourism, and the Creative Industries through over 30 panels, interviews and discussions with government and business leaders. The investment conference aims to foster business and stakeholder relationships and will shed light on Jamaica’s COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.

The conference will be staged concurrently via two platforms; one is a virtual interactive business event portal that will facilitate a real-time engagement experience and B2B meetings, the second is a live stream event via social media that will accommodate and drive increased awareness of Jamaica’s economic progress. This format will help JAMPRO to engage attendees including current and potential investors, JAMPRO clients, private and public sector stakeholders, and diplomatic missions.

JAMPRO anticipates extensive global participation based on the planned international promotions which will ensure the leveraging of the virtual B2B meeting platform by potential investors.

New opportunity to do business

Speaking about the event, Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment, and Commerce, The Honourable Audley Shaw, CD, MP., noted that the virtual investment conference has presented a new opportunity for the government to amplify the promotion of Jamaica’s business opportunities: “This virtual conference will allow us to reach and directly engage investors across the globe who are interested in doing business with Jamaica but need further market intelligence and guidance on the potential that is available in the island’s sectors. From our perspective, it is the right time to host this global event, as persons are seeking new ventures as the world slowly returns to normality.”

Diane Edwards, President of JAMPRO, echoed the Minister’s statements, and expressed confidence in the conference’s ability to deliver results for Jamaica and attendees. She said: “The format of the conference is powerful, because it presents an excellent opportunity for global business leaders to get valuable insight on Jamaican investment opportunities, engage their colleagues in various industries, and explore bankable projects, all in the location of their choice.

“We believe that this event will lead to the development of lucrative partnerships and financial opportunities for local and international investors.”

Interested persons are invited to register for the event at explore.dobusinessjamaica.com.

Explore: Do Business Jamaica Virtual Investment Conference is a two-day event that will highlight investment and other business opportunities in Jamaica. The event, hosted by Jamaica’s investment and export promotion agency, JAMPRO, will provide a platform for attendees to learn more about Jamaican investment opportunities, see lucrative projects, and build business relationships.

Explore: Do Business Jamaica Virtual Investment Conference is sponsored by the Foundations for Competitiveness and Growth Project (FCGP), National Commercial Bank (NCB), Mystique Integrated, and M-One Productions.

The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO)’s mission is to drive economic development through growth in investment and export. JAMPRO is an Agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment, and Commerce.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Asda accelerates multi-channel offering with Blue Yonder

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Leading British retailer Asda will leverage world-class Blue Yonder capabilities to optimise its end-to-end operations and deliver ambitious business transformation.

The UK retail market is one of the most dynamic markets in the world, where consumers demand great products and an excellent customer experience, through any channel at any time. That is why Asda, one of Britain’s leading retailers with a unique position in the market, has selected to digitally transform its end-to-end supply chain and retail operations with Blue Yonder.

Asda will implement several SaaS-based capabilities within Blue Yonder’s Luminate Planning, Luminate Commerce and Luminate Logistics, as well as Luminate Control Tower, all running on the Luminate Platform.

Asda consists of supercentres, superstores, and smaller supermarkets. The retailer also runs petrol filling stations and Asda Living stores, which offer its popular George clothing and home merchandise lines. The company employs more than 140,000 colleagues serving more than 18 million customers who shop in its stores and online weekly.

With the company needing to transition from its legacy solutions as a result of moving to a UK-based ownership, Asda was looking for end-to-end retail solutions that would cover commercial, supply chain, logistics, and retail operations. This includes artificial intelligence- (AI) powered forecasting, end-to-end supply chain visibility, omni-channel fulfilment, and workforce management capabilities.

With Blue Yonder, Asda will be able to:

  • Use machine learning (ML) at scale to provide a demand projection with calculated business impact and risk that enables better inventory management, waste reduction and an improved understanding of demand drivers and customer behaviours.
  • Leverage ML to optimise pricing strategies reducing excess stock and avoiding waste.
  • Deliver efficiency and value across the entire omni-channel retail business with a connected platform.
  • Horizon scan thanks to visibility into forecasting, fulfilment and transportation, leveraging Blue Yonder’s automation while keeping a high level of control.
  • Gain inbound visibility for both domestic and import orders ensuring products are available to meet consumer demand at the right place, at the right time.
  • Provide Asda colleagues in stores and in distribution centres with a robust workforce management capability.

“We are embarking on a large-scale, exciting business transformation project to build our Future, in which we want to work with the very best retail technology providers in the market with proven experience and world-class capabilities,” said Carl Dawson, chief information officer, Asda. “We are looking forward to implementing this project with our strategic partner Blue Yonder, as we continue to build a fast, effective and agile business.”

“We are looking forward to supporting Asda with our innovative capabilities and experience,” said Johan Reventberg, president, EMEA, Blue Yonder. “We have built a strong relationship with Asda over the years, and we have consistently demonstrated how our advanced capabilities can help them fulfil their potential and drive value, early and often. Not only are our solutions a fit for Asda’s long-term goals, so is our culture and our values. We are honoured to embark on this exciting journey with Asda and look forward to bringing value to both Asda, their partners and their customers.”

 

Asda accelerates multi-channel offering with Blue Yonder

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading British retailer Asda will leverage world-class Blue Yonder capabilities to optimise its end-to-end operations and deliver ambitious business transformation.

The UK retail market is one of the most dynamic markets in the world, where consumers demand great products and an excellent customer experience, through any channel at any time. That is why Asda, one of Britain’s leading retailers with a unique position in the market, has selected to digitally transform its end-to-end supply chain and retail operations with Blue Yonder.

Asda will implement several SaaS-based capabilities within Blue Yonder’s Luminate Planning, Luminate Commerce and Luminate Logistics, as well as Luminate Control Tower, all running on the Luminate Platform.

Asda consists of supercentres, superstores, and smaller supermarkets. The retailer also runs petrol filling stations and Asda Living stores, which offer its popular George clothing and home merchandise lines. The company employs more than 140,000 colleagues serving more than 18 million customers who shop in its stores and online weekly.

With the company needing to transition from its legacy solutions as a result of moving to a UK-based ownership, Asda was looking for end-to-end retail solutions that would cover commercial, supply chain, logistics, and retail operations. This includes artificial intelligence- (AI) powered forecasting, end-to-end supply chain visibility, omni-channel fulfilment, and workforce management capabilities.

With Blue Yonder, Asda will be able to:

  • Use machine learning (ML) at scale to provide a demand projection with calculated business impact and risk that enables better inventory management, waste reduction and an improved understanding of demand drivers and customer behaviours.
  • Leverage ML to optimise pricing strategies reducing excess stock and avoiding waste.
  • Deliver efficiency and value across the entire omni-channel retail business with a connected platform.
  • Horizon scan thanks to visibility into forecasting, fulfilment and transportation, leveraging Blue Yonder’s automation while keeping a high level of control.
  • Gain inbound visibility for both domestic and import orders ensuring products are available to meet consumer demand at the right place, at the right time.
  • Provide Asda colleagues in stores and in distribution centres with a robust workforce management capability.

“We are embarking on a large-scale, exciting business transformation project to build our Future, in which we want to work with the very best retail technology providers in the market with proven experience and world-class capabilities,” said Carl Dawson, chief information officer, Asda. “We are looking forward to implementing this project with our strategic partner Blue Yonder, as we continue to build a fast, effective and agile business.”

“We are looking forward to supporting Asda with our innovative capabilities and experience,” said Johan Reventberg, president, EMEA, Blue Yonder. “We have built a strong relationship with Asda over the years, and we have consistently demonstrated how our advanced capabilities can help them fulfil their potential and drive value, early and often. Not only are our solutions a fit for Asda’s long-term goals, so is our culture and our values. We are honoured to embark on this exciting journey with Asda and look forward to bringing value to both Asda, their partners and their customers.”

 

WEMO founders cede management to HAHN Group

Posted on by David Priestman

The founders of WEMO Automation – Sven, Olof and Bengt Ståhl – are handing over the management of the company to Johannes Kjellgren (CEO) and Håkan Larsson (COO). As part of this, WEMO will move to the Robotics Division within the HAHN Group in order to offer its customers an even broader portfolio of solutions and products with mobile and collaborative robotics. This complements the focus on the plastics market with technological competencies.

After more than 30 years of building, developing and managing WEMO Automation, the Ståhl brothers are handing over the management of the company to new hands. Already in 2015, the HAHN Group took over the majority of the company’s shares, and finally all of them. Now also the leadership will be handed over to Johannes Kjellgren, who took over management of the company in October 2021.

Johannes Kjellgren has many years of experience in customer-centric sales and general management. With his deep knowledge of international markets, he will continue to expand the sales network and customer service for WEMO in order to be even closer to the customers.

At his side, Håkan Larsson will be responsible for operational management as COO, starting in Spring 2022. As a proven expert in technical development and the plastics industry and with his many years of experience, he stands for the continuity with regard to the reliability and technological excellence of the WEMO products.

“It is not easy to successfully shape a succession situation in which the founders have built and managed their company with so much dedication and passion. Therefore we are very happy that in Johannes and Håkan we have found two very experienced entrepreneurs who can not only preserve what has been achieved, but also want to add new things at the same time,” says Philipp Unterhalt, CEO of the HAHN Group.

“Our thanks go to Sven, Olof and Bengt. For the trusting cooperation of the last few years, the friendly interaction and also for the fact that they continue to support us in an advisory capacity – also beyond WEMO within the HAHN Group.”

The previous CEO, Sven Ståhl, adds: “With the takeover by the HAHN Group, we were able to set the course for a stable and secure future for WEMO as early as 2015. With Johannes and Håkan, the HAHN Group remains true to its culture of continuing to run the business with highly professional and very value-based people.“

“I am looking forward to the new task of further positioning the team and the potential of WEMO in the plastics market and also inspiring existing and new customers with further automation and robotics solutions from the HAHN Group”, comments Johannes Kjellgren.

“I have spent most of my career in the plastics industry and got to know WEMO as a very professional and innovative company,” adds Håkan Larsson, new COO of WEMO. “Therefore I am delighted to further develop the technology according to our customers’ requirements and needs.”

As part of the succession, WEMO Automation will strengthen the Robotics division within the HAHN Group in the future. This bundles the know-how in the areas of linear, collaborative and mobile robotics and makes it even easier for customers to access. In addition, own sales and partner networks complement each other very well in order to further increase customer proximity. Through the HAHN Group network, WEMO is also to be developed even more strongly as a regional hub in Scandinavia in the future.

Pictured (left to right): Bengt Ståhl, Founder of WEMO Automation; Philipp Unterhalt, CEO of HAHN Group; Martin Schmitz, Division Director Robotics in HAHN Group; Håkan Larsson, New Vice President of WEMO Automation; Johannes Kjellgren, New CEO of WEMO Automation; Olof Ståhl, Founder of WEMO Automation; Sven Ståhl, Founder of WEMO Automation

WEMO founders cede management to HAHN Group

Posted on by David Priestman

The founders of WEMO Automation – Sven, Olof and Bengt Ståhl – are handing over the management of the company to Johannes Kjellgren (CEO) and Håkan Larsson (COO). As part of this, WEMO will move to the Robotics Division within the HAHN Group in order to offer its customers an even broader portfolio of solutions and products with mobile and collaborative robotics. This complements the focus on the plastics market with technological competencies.

After more than 30 years of building, developing and managing WEMO Automation, the Ståhl brothers are handing over the management of the company to new hands. Already in 2015, the HAHN Group took over the majority of the company’s shares, and finally all of them. Now also the leadership will be handed over to Johannes Kjellgren, who took over management of the company in October 2021.

Johannes Kjellgren has many years of experience in customer-centric sales and general management. With his deep knowledge of international markets, he will continue to expand the sales network and customer service for WEMO in order to be even closer to the customers.

At his side, Håkan Larsson will be responsible for operational management as COO, starting in Spring 2022. As a proven expert in technical development and the plastics industry and with his many years of experience, he stands for the continuity with regard to the reliability and technological excellence of the WEMO products.

“It is not easy to successfully shape a succession situation in which the founders have built and managed their company with so much dedication and passion. Therefore we are very happy that in Johannes and Håkan we have found two very experienced entrepreneurs who can not only preserve what has been achieved, but also want to add new things at the same time,” says Philipp Unterhalt, CEO of the HAHN Group.

“Our thanks go to Sven, Olof and Bengt. For the trusting cooperation of the last few years, the friendly interaction and also for the fact that they continue to support us in an advisory capacity – also beyond WEMO within the HAHN Group.”

The previous CEO, Sven Ståhl, adds: “With the takeover by the HAHN Group, we were able to set the course for a stable and secure future for WEMO as early as 2015. With Johannes and Håkan, the HAHN Group remains true to its culture of continuing to run the business with highly professional and very value-based people.“

“I am looking forward to the new task of further positioning the team and the potential of WEMO in the plastics market and also inspiring existing and new customers with further automation and robotics solutions from the HAHN Group”, comments Johannes Kjellgren.

“I have spent most of my career in the plastics industry and got to know WEMO as a very professional and innovative company,” adds Håkan Larsson, new COO of WEMO. “Therefore I am delighted to further develop the technology according to our customers’ requirements and needs.”

As part of the succession, WEMO Automation will strengthen the Robotics division within the HAHN Group in the future. This bundles the know-how in the areas of linear, collaborative and mobile robotics and makes it even easier for customers to access. In addition, own sales and partner networks complement each other very well in order to further increase customer proximity. Through the HAHN Group network, WEMO is also to be developed even more strongly as a regional hub in Scandinavia in the future.

Pictured (left to right): Bengt Ståhl, Founder of WEMO Automation; Philipp Unterhalt, CEO of HAHN Group; Martin Schmitz, Division Director Robotics in HAHN Group; Håkan Larsson, New Vice President of WEMO Automation; Johannes Kjellgren, New CEO of WEMO Automation; Olof Ståhl, Founder of WEMO Automation; Sven Ståhl, Founder of WEMO Automation

New order picker for medium rack heights

Posted on by David Priestman

With the Linde V modular B vertical order picker, Linde Material Handling (MH) is launching a new high-performance, robust turret truck. The “man-up” vehicle expands the intralogistics specialist’s product range for wide and narrow aisle warehouses, thus offering distribution centre operators and manufacturing companies an even greater choice of customized solutions.

Many warehouse operators solve the need for additional storage space by adding more racking and expanding racks upwards by one or two levels. As a result, the demands on the vehicles used for picking are growing in parallel: Picking heights can exceed 7m, which means the vehicles must have a stable chassis as well as provide an ergonomic and safe working environment so that operators can fully concentrate on the picking process.

“Picking is the value-adding activity in a warehouse and therefore at the core of the business,” Matthias Holzwarth, Product Manager VNA Trucks, puts it in a nutshell. “With the new Linde V modular B turret truck, we offer our customers a powerful yet cost-effective solution for precisely these requirements.”

With a load capacity of 1,000kg and a reach height of up to 7.83m, the vehicles meet customer needs such as those found in online retail, small parts logistics in distribution centres and factory supermarkets. At their core, they are based on the larger V modular series, with the “B” in the model name standing for “Best Value” and indicating that the vehicle comes equipped solely with features necessary for this picking height.

Convincing set-up

The trucks’ maximum driving speed of 11km/h means movement is rapid. Comfort is provided by the spacious cab, which is decoupled from the chassis and thus cushioned from vibrations. A soft mat absorbs vibrations when the mast is raised during travel, and operators find secure footing on the firm surface at the edge of the cab floor while order picking.

The low railing of the driver’s cab allows for easy, reliable picking of goods from the rack, and the optional outward tilt function allows for the extra few centimetres of movement that are often needed for better access in the racking.

The mast design provides excellent visibility of the surroundings, and the electric steering makes it easy to manoeuvre with precision. Thanks to the modular vehicle concept, the vertical order pickers can be individually adapted to specific customer requirements. Depending on the power requirements, for example, a 24v and a 48v motor are available.

The Linde V modular B is also equipped with various safety features. For example, the vehicle can only be moved when the driver touches the sensors on the control unit with both hands while standing on the dead man’s switch in the foot well. The electrically monitored side barriers must be closed for operation at platform heights of 1.2m and above.

To prevent collisions with ceilings and walls, travel speeds and lifting heights can be individually adjusted by the service engineer to suit the respective conditions on site. For narrow aisle applications, scanners are available in the drive and load direction, which detect people and obstacles in the vicinity. The personnel protection system also actively intervenes in the vehicle’s drive mode in the event of an emergency, thus preventing collisions.

New order picker for medium rack heights

Posted on by David Priestman

With the Linde V modular B vertical order picker, Linde Material Handling (MH) is launching a new high-performance, robust turret truck. The “man-up” vehicle expands the intralogistics specialist’s product range for wide and narrow aisle warehouses, thus offering distribution centre operators and manufacturing companies an even greater choice of customized solutions.

Many warehouse operators solve the need for additional storage space by adding more racking and expanding racks upwards by one or two levels. As a result, the demands on the vehicles used for picking are growing in parallel: Picking heights can exceed 7m, which means the vehicles must have a stable chassis as well as provide an ergonomic and safe working environment so that operators can fully concentrate on the picking process.

“Picking is the value-adding activity in a warehouse and therefore at the core of the business,” Matthias Holzwarth, Product Manager VNA Trucks, puts it in a nutshell. “With the new Linde V modular B turret truck, we offer our customers a powerful yet cost-effective solution for precisely these requirements.”

With a load capacity of 1,000kg and a reach height of up to 7.83m, the vehicles meet customer needs such as those found in online retail, small parts logistics in distribution centres and factory supermarkets. At their core, they are based on the larger V modular series, with the “B” in the model name standing for “Best Value” and indicating that the vehicle comes equipped solely with features necessary for this picking height.

Convincing set-up

The trucks’ maximum driving speed of 11km/h means movement is rapid. Comfort is provided by the spacious cab, which is decoupled from the chassis and thus cushioned from vibrations. A soft mat absorbs vibrations when the mast is raised during travel, and operators find secure footing on the firm surface at the edge of the cab floor while order picking.

The low railing of the driver’s cab allows for easy, reliable picking of goods from the rack, and the optional outward tilt function allows for the extra few centimetres of movement that are often needed for better access in the racking.

The mast design provides excellent visibility of the surroundings, and the electric steering makes it easy to manoeuvre with precision. Thanks to the modular vehicle concept, the vertical order pickers can be individually adapted to specific customer requirements. Depending on the power requirements, for example, a 24v and a 48v motor are available.

The Linde V modular B is also equipped with various safety features. For example, the vehicle can only be moved when the driver touches the sensors on the control unit with both hands while standing on the dead man’s switch in the foot well. The electrically monitored side barriers must be closed for operation at platform heights of 1.2m and above.

To prevent collisions with ceilings and walls, travel speeds and lifting heights can be individually adjusted by the service engineer to suit the respective conditions on site. For narrow aisle applications, scanners are available in the drive and load direction, which detect people and obstacles in the vicinity. The personnel protection system also actively intervenes in the vehicle’s drive mode in the event of an emergency, thus preventing collisions.

Port of Antwerp uses fixed-wing drones

Posted on by David Priestman

Port of Antwerp, in partnership with aerospace company Sabca, has conducted field trials of a fixed-wing drone fitted with a powerful camera. The aim was to evaluate the technology’s potential to enhance real-time safety and security by providing the port authority with detailed images of developing incidents.

Unique perspective

Thanks to a drone’s unique view it can make a significant contribution to the overall safety within the Port of Antwerp, which covers more than 120 km² and forms part of Belgium’s critical infrastructure. A fixed-wing drone can remain airborne for more than eight hours, taking pictures with a very powerful camera (30x zoom) from a height of 280 metres. The types of tasks that can be performed include inspecting infrastructure, surveillance and monitoring, incident management, berth management and the detection of oil spills or floating waste.

The collaboration, which also included the Waasland Emergency Assistance Zone and the Antwerp Fire Brigade Zone, tested out various use cases. The images recorded by the unmanned aircraft covered four realistic emergency situations: a container fire, the rescue of a person in distress on top of a windmill, the rescue of a drowning person and the rescue of a man overboard. They will provide insights into the possibilities of using drones within the port environment.

Building the port of the future

According to Port of Antwerp, the use of drones will play an increasingly important role in the port of the future as a means of maintaining safety. Cooperation with innovative partners, such as the aviation specialist Sabca, will form a key part of this.

The trials using the fixed-wing drone were carried out in close cooperation with the port’s safety partners. The experience gained in incident management will lead to even more efficient collaboration.

“Drones will be indispensable in the near future when performing high-risk tasks,” says Thibauld Jongen, the CEO of Sabca. “By carrying out these demonstrations in collaboration with Port of Antwerp, we are able to show that we can make various operations safer and more efficient by using unmanned aircraft for inspections, transporting goods and surveillance. Sabca is a specialist when it comes to carrying out complex assignments such as these, in which different partners cooperate with each other. We ensure that all systems are perfectly integrated so that the drones can collect and pass on the right information. We also use this expertise for other projects such as the automatic transportation of medical samples between hospitals, carrying out inspections of wind turbines at sea, measuring radiation at industrial sites and conducting surveillance assignments off the Belgian coast. By undertaking this joint exercise, Port of Antwerp is once again showing itself to be an innovative player that always seeks to play a pioneering role. We are therefore also grateful that Port of Antwerp decided to work with Sabca, a company also based in Belgium, in order to conduct these trials.”

Bob Spanoghe from Port of Antwerp explains: “Given the huge surface area of the port, drones provide us with leverage when it comes to carrying out our core tasks as a port authority. Our goal is to put in place an operational network of drones by 2022 in order to provide a ‘live feed’ of the various port activities. As a tool, this will enhance the work carried out by the entire port community. That will enable us to have a more accurate sense of what is going on within the port and as we work towards the achievement of a safe, efficient and smart port – the port of the future. This the first time that trials using this fixed-wing drone have been undertaken in a port environment and they have helped us progress yet another step further, including in the collaboration we have achieved with our safety partners.”

Annick De Ridder, Port Alderman: “We are pulling out all the stops for a safe port and drones will become indispensable for this in the near future, also in our port. Innovation and digitalisation are crucial to guarantee sustainable growth in the long term. Port of Antwerp is therefore the driving force behind inventing and realising solutions for the challenges of tomorrow. Moreover, the port is an ideal environment to test and further develop this innovative technology.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE DRONE TRIALS

Port of Antwerp uses fixed-wing drones

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Port of Antwerp, in partnership with aerospace company Sabca, has conducted field trials of a fixed-wing drone fitted with a powerful camera. The aim was to evaluate the technology’s potential to enhance real-time safety and security by providing the port authority with detailed images of developing incidents.

Unique perspective

Thanks to a drone’s unique view it can make a significant contribution to the overall safety within the Port of Antwerp, which covers more than 120 km² and forms part of Belgium’s critical infrastructure. A fixed-wing drone can remain airborne for more than eight hours, taking pictures with a very powerful camera (30x zoom) from a height of 280 metres. The types of tasks that can be performed include inspecting infrastructure, surveillance and monitoring, incident management, berth management and the detection of oil spills or floating waste.

The collaboration, which also included the Waasland Emergency Assistance Zone and the Antwerp Fire Brigade Zone, tested out various use cases. The images recorded by the unmanned aircraft covered four realistic emergency situations: a container fire, the rescue of a person in distress on top of a windmill, the rescue of a drowning person and the rescue of a man overboard. They will provide insights into the possibilities of using drones within the port environment.

Building the port of the future

According to Port of Antwerp, the use of drones will play an increasingly important role in the port of the future as a means of maintaining safety. Cooperation with innovative partners, such as the aviation specialist Sabca, will form a key part of this.

The trials using the fixed-wing drone were carried out in close cooperation with the port’s safety partners. The experience gained in incident management will lead to even more efficient collaboration.

“Drones will be indispensable in the near future when performing high-risk tasks,” says Thibauld Jongen, the CEO of Sabca. “By carrying out these demonstrations in collaboration with Port of Antwerp, we are able to show that we can make various operations safer and more efficient by using unmanned aircraft for inspections, transporting goods and surveillance. Sabca is a specialist when it comes to carrying out complex assignments such as these, in which different partners cooperate with each other. We ensure that all systems are perfectly integrated so that the drones can collect and pass on the right information. We also use this expertise for other projects such as the automatic transportation of medical samples between hospitals, carrying out inspections of wind turbines at sea, measuring radiation at industrial sites and conducting surveillance assignments off the Belgian coast. By undertaking this joint exercise, Port of Antwerp is once again showing itself to be an innovative player that always seeks to play a pioneering role. We are therefore also grateful that Port of Antwerp decided to work with Sabca, a company also based in Belgium, in order to conduct these trials.”

Bob Spanoghe from Port of Antwerp explains: “Given the huge surface area of the port, drones provide us with leverage when it comes to carrying out our core tasks as a port authority. Our goal is to put in place an operational network of drones by 2022 in order to provide a ‘live feed’ of the various port activities. As a tool, this will enhance the work carried out by the entire port community. That will enable us to have a more accurate sense of what is going on within the port and as we work towards the achievement of a safe, efficient and smart port – the port of the future. This the first time that trials using this fixed-wing drone have been undertaken in a port environment and they have helped us progress yet another step further, including in the collaboration we have achieved with our safety partners.”

Annick De Ridder, Port Alderman: “We are pulling out all the stops for a safe port and drones will become indispensable for this in the near future, also in our port. Innovation and digitalisation are crucial to guarantee sustainable growth in the long term. Port of Antwerp is therefore the driving force behind inventing and realising solutions for the challenges of tomorrow. Moreover, the port is an ideal environment to test and further develop this innovative technology.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE DRONE TRIALS

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