Written by Samuel Pasquier, VP, Product Management, Industrial IoT Networking, Cisco
Wireless connectivity was once largely a concern of carpeted office environments, but in today’s world – defined by digital-first capabilities and transformative AI use cases – digitising industrial operations has become a key factor to unlock new efficiencies, protect against security incidents, and accelerate automated functionality.
Some of the most forward-thinking companies are embracing new levels of connectivity by adapting their processes, technologies, and business models to achieve operational efficiency, productivity, and profitability. One such company is DP World Evyap – a container terminal and logistics hub in Türkiye’s Gulf of Izmit with 725,000 square metres of terminal space and the capacity for 2 million containers a year.
For port operators, it’s no longer enough to boast deepwater access, modern rail links and miles of berthing. The port operations process has become increasingly digital, and while containers may remain the same, their movement is now governed by robotic cranes, autonomous vehicles, machine vision, and industrial sensors. But digitising an industrial operation the size of DP World Evyap means new demands on industrial wireless infrastructure.
Wireless moves the port
Container ports are the backbone of global trade, handling 90 per cent of the world’s cargo movement and ensuring cost-effective logistics. Few things are more vital to global trade than the 20-foot steel container, but ports now rely just as much on seamless wireless connectivity. Steel moves goods; wireless moves the port.
As a technology-driven logistics hub between Asia and Europe, DP World Evyap puts a premium on strengthening its operations through automation, AI-driven analytics, and real-time visibility. Tasked with eliminating dead zones and enhancing operational efficiency across 24/7 port operations, DP World Evyap set out to improve wireless reliability by deploying a solution that could ensure seamless roaming for critical applications and coverage across a 265,000-square-metre site.
Digitising a 265,000-square-metre port
DP World is driving digital transformation across container ports in 78 different countries to enhance efficiency and innovation in maritime operations. Handling 10 per cent of Türkiye’s total container throughput, DP World Evyap is one of the country’s largest container terminals, established in 2024 through a partnership between DP World Yarımca and Evyapport.
Operating 24/7 in a demanding environment, DP World Evyap needed a wireless network to deliver resilient connectivity while withstanding extreme conditions – including temperatures exceeding 104°F (40°C), high humidity, and significant radio frequency interference from steel container stacks and heavy machinery.
Using Cisco’s Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (UWRB) technology, DP World Evyap connected an extensive operational area and thousands of moving assets, eliminating dead zones and achieving reliable wireless communication – all in the pursuit of optimised port efficiency.
Wireless connectivity between assets, personnel, and systems
Digital applications and automation processes are central to most industrial operations today – and when it comes to industrial wireless, new demands are creating new solutions.
At DP World Evyap, a stable wireless solution means reliable connectivity across the entire terminal, enabling coordination between assets, personnel, and systems. Now, there’s real-time container tracking, automated gate management, and instant customs documentation processing. In the words of DP World Evyap’s IT Director, Gokhan Erbas: “Reliable and stable network performance is mission-critical for our operations.”
Samuel Pasquier is Head of Product Management for Cisco’s Industrial IoT Connectivity Portfolio, which is designed to meet IoT needs in manufacturing, oil and gas, utilities, transportation, mining, and the public sector. He holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from EPITA School of Engineering and Computer Science in France.
