APM Terminals in Barcelona enhance safety measures
The APM Terminals in the port of Barcelona unveiled their technological initiative to improve safety at their container terminals during the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, which ended on 21 November. Sergi Domínguez i Tomas, head of IT at APM Terminals Barcelona, highlighted the programme entitled “5G in a container terminal: V2X applied to cranes.”
Efforts to optimise safety in operations rely on 5G technology to use V2X systems. V2X communication involves passing information from a vehicle to any entity that could affect it, and vice-versa. Car manufacturers have been studying such systems for some time to improve road safety and manage traffic flows more effectively.
Developments in wireless communication are making it possible for cars to communicate with each other (vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications) and to communicate with roadside units (vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications). These planned vehicle-to-everything (V2X) car-based wireless communication systems are generically called intelligent transport systems (ITS).
“By using V2X solutions in our cranes,” said Domínguez, “we offer our drivers extra help in their safety while also allowing the mapping of terminals, people and possible dangerous obstacles; we are creating a fully controlled environment”. (fd)