Hutchison Ports' Port of Felixstowe has been selected to take part in the UK Government's 5G Trials and Testbeds Programme.

The project will test the potential of 5G across two use cases: enabling remote-controlled cranes via the transmission of CCTV, and deploying Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimise the predicative maintenance cycle of Felixstowe's 31 quay- and 82 yard-cranes.

Three UK, Cambridge University, Blue Mesh Solutions, Ericsson, and Siemens will assist the Port of Felixstowe in implementing the £3.4m project (which has received £1.6m from the UK Government as part of 5G Create, a competition to support innovators exploring new uses for 5G to improve people's lives and boost British businesses).

"Our ports will be more vital than ever as we forge an ambitious new global trading position for the UK post-Brexit, so I'm eager to see what 5G can do to maximise efficiency at Britain's biggest and busiest container port in Felixstowe," Matt Warman, Minister for Digital Infrastructure, commented.

To this Chris Lewis, CEO, Hutchison Ports UK, added, "We are delighted to be part of this exciting 5G Create programme. Being the largest UK port to introduce 5G technology will allow the Port of Felixstowe to deploy innovative technologies to boost efficiency and improve safety for our workforce. It ties in well with Government policy to create a network of Freeports to act as hotbeds for innovation and to act as hubs for global trade."

Photo: John Fielding/Wikimedia Commons