Video surveillance of waterways Overcoming challenges on a variety of objects
The network of federal waterways in Germany comprises approx. 7,300 km. Shipping is of great economic importance. Currently, more than 90% of the total intercontinental exchange of goods is handled by ocean shipping.
In order to ensure the necessary safety and smooth operation on the waterways, many locks and ship lifts are already supported by video technology.
Modern lock system
Increasing automation
In Europe alone, there are approximately 1.2 million technical facilities such as locks, weirs, and dams on inland waterways. It is estimated that a large number of locks will be automated in the next few years.
Reliable video surveillance is essential for the technical structures, some of which then operate autonomously, and is the key to smooth operation. In many cases, locks and weirs are already equipped with modern video technology, but by far the greater number of installations are located on smaller and less frequented waterways.
In this context, it is crucial to overcome these obstacles to the exchange of goods as quickly as possible. The disastrous impact that problems on sensitive water passages can have on supply chains was highlighted by the Suez Canal disaster in March 2021.
Monitoring of diagnostic and alarm functions in the control room
Monitoring, signaling, and prevention
As with other transport routes, navigable waterways in particular are a network with a large geographical area. It is very important that control centers are alerted immediately and precisely to any malfunctions in the system, thanks to the use of fully managed network technology.
Among other things, the following are recorded:
- Power requirements and smooth operation of PoE end devices
- Automated resets of PoE devices such as IP cameras
- System operating time and current system time
– Event logging with event table as a CSV file
Monitoring technology for waterways – Smart Ethernet Box
Smart Ethernet Box Reliable infrastructure for waterway video surveillance
All the components for a reliable CCTV infrastructure in a single device: The Smart Ethernet Box is an all-in-one device that is connected directly to the cameras. The integrated mounting adapter for wall and mast mounting makes installation much easier and quicker.
Simply snap in, connect, and you’re done! That is how you ensure greater safety on waterways and in locks.
Smart Ethernet Box as an intelligent outdoor switch
The Smart Ethernet Box can be used in an automation solution as an intelligent outdoor PoE switch. The integrated full-managed network allows redundant architectures to be set up and can just as easily be extended with remote maintenance products. The topology shows a high-availability automation solution including a safety solution.
The Smart Ethernet Box in lock automation
