The Port of Duisburg authority (duisport) has teamed up with industrial image processing VITRONIC to develop a waterside optical character recognition (OCR) for container detection.
The new “Rivergate” solution is based on high-resolution 12K cameras and was developed in only 15 months, and already tested on two cranes.
duisport said this creates a sustainable solution for digitally recording the ID of the container and comparing it with the loading list in just a few seconds and with a recognition rate of almost 100 per cent when loading and unloading an inland vessel.
In combination with the “Crane Management System” (CMS) of the company POLO KNOW-HOW, Rivergate will prevent incorrect loading and detect the integrity of the customs seal and any damage to the container.
This in turn is expected to optimise existing processes in day-to-day operations and further advance the digitalisation of the port.
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“When unloading containers, crane operators rarely have the chance to check their condition,” said Prof. Thomas Schlipköther, duisport Board Member for Technology and Operations.
“Once set down, the loading unit as flawless, even if it was already damaged. Thanks to Rivergate, we can now prove the condition of the containers and track their whereabouts in the Terminal gapless document.”
Rivergate will initially be used on a crane at the Duisburg Trimodal Terminal (D3T) at logport I in Duisburg-Rheinhausen and on a crane at the GWW terminal at logport II in Duisburg-Hochfeld.
The installation of camera systems will enable efficient and transparent condition documentation and recording in real time – even at night and in poor weather conditions.
As the container passes the crane bridge, the system records the condition of the loading unit in high-resolution images.
Several specially developed algorithms work in the background, making the data immediately available to the CMS and the Terminal Operation System (TOS).
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At the heart of the agreement is the expansion of cooperation in the areas of energy transition, rail and hinterland connections, and port infrastructure.