- Telekom to deploy local 5G networks in Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven port terminals by spring 2024
- Funding by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport under the “Digital Test Field for Ports” guidelines
- Maximum 5G performance for digital logistics applications
- New network architecture gives you complete control over critical data traffic
5G for digitalization of port logistics: Europe’s leading maritime independent container terminal operator EUROGATE has commissioned Deutsche Telekom to implement three 5G campus networks. At the ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven, the 5G business customer solution “Campus Network L” will improve mobile coverage at container terminals. This will enable container terminal operators to more securely and flexibly deploy digital logistics applications with dedicated bandwidth, high availability, and full 5G performance in the future. To achieve this objective, EUROGATE will use its own 5G industrial frequencies in the 3.7-3.8 gigahertz (GHz) range for critical data traffic, in addition to Telekom’s public mobile network. For example, for the further digitalization of processing processes or for the tight networking of processing. Equipment with control and process control systems. The project has now been launched with a kick-off event at the Port of Hamburg.
Digitalization of port logistics through the “Port-As-A-Service” funding project
The “Port-As-A-Service” project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) as part of the “Digital Test Field for Ports” funding directive. Here, the establishment of digital test fields at ports is supported in order to create a real test space for innovations in the field of Logistics 4.0. The realization of the 5G campus network together with other digital infrastructure measures at EUROGATE has a project size of 3.7 million euros, with funding of 2.9 million euros under the funding guidelines and TÜV as project sponsor of the funding guidelines. Supported by Rhineland. The aim of “Port-As-A-Service” is to exploit the digitalization opportunities of German ports and optimize investments in infrastructure. With EUROGATE, you have the following opportunities:
- networking of control and process control systems;
- automation of container handling through the use of automated and/or autonomous port handling equipment;
- Support for container arrival and delivery by self-driving trucks;
- Connect your industrial port handling (IIOT) equipment to the cloud and use the data as part of your container terminal’s digital twin.
“An efficient and reliable technology infrastructure is the basis for making container handling at our terminals even more efficient and ensuring our competitiveness in the long term,” said Michael, Chairman of the Eurogate Group Management Board. Blach said. “With Deutsche Telekom’s 5G campus network, we have the best conditions to further automate processes and test innovative logistics solutions based on 5G.”
Utility poles become 5G antenna carriers
Telekom’s campus network is equipped with the latest mobile communications standards and covers a total area of 5.6 million square meters across three container terminals. This is the equivalent of approximately 785 soccer fields. On the other hand, existing mobile communication systems will be expanded in the field. Telekom then installed three of his 5G radio sites at each terminal site in Bremerhaven (2.9 million sq m) and Hamburg (1.4 million sq m), and two additional sites in Wilhelmshaven (1.3 million sq m). I am. A feature here is that no new masts have been erected, but existing utility poles are used as supports for his powerful 5G antenna. The deployment of the three 5G campus networks is expected to be completed by spring 2024.
“The 5G coverage of EUROGATE’s container terminals is one of the largest campus network projects to date. With this, EUROGATE will take full advantage of 5G’s potential to further optimize logistics processes and provide digital support for port terminals. We will be able to drive change,” says Managing Director Hagen Rickmann. Director of Business Customers at Telekom Deutschland GmbH. “In addition to high-performance 5G connectivity and dedicated bandwidth, the network architecture of the three campus networks will provide particularly high levels of control over critical data traffic on terminal sites in the future.”
Unique 5G frequencies for EUROGATE
Telekom equips each port terminal with a dual slice campus network. One of Telekom’s public 5G networks serves, for example, employees, external service providers, suppliers and customers. Additional pure private 5G networks will operate in the local 5G industrial spectrum in the 3.7-3.8 GHz range. Unlike Telekom’s public 3.6 GHz spectrum, this is 5G spectrum specifically made available for industrial use by the Federal Network Agency. Provides dedicated network resources dedicated to EUROGATE’s internal data traffic. Data runs separately on this part of the network and is completely unaffected by public 5G data traffic. This means that EUROGATE essentially has two 5G frequency bands and a total of approximately 190 MHz of bandwidth at its disposal.
New technical solutions: high security and short data paths
In this project, Telekom will deploy a new network architecture for the first time as part of its 5G business customer solution “Campus-Netz L”. This means that EUROGATE can simultaneously benefit from reduced infrastructure costs and increased technical flexibility through the use of a dedicated, virtualized campus core network. This network architecture enables so-called CUPS solutions (separation of control plane and user plane). Combines the customer’s local user gateway with his central 5G core network within the Telekom network. This means that while the 5G campus network is centrally managed by Telekom, customers’ own data remains exclusively on-site at their own campuses. This provides EUROGATE with maximum security without additional investment in its own complete core network. Local user gateways also guarantee low latency. This is because the data is routed directly from the end device to the customer’s IT over a private network.
High availability and exclusive 5G data traffic
The 5G campus solution will enable EUROGATE to use dedicated SIM cards for network-connected devices with unlimited data flat rates. These guarantee maximum private 5G network performance with download speeds of up to 1.5 GBit/s per end device. Customer-specific SIM cards can be managed by EUROGATE via the self-service portal. For example, it can be used to assign authentication or prioritize selected data within a private 5G network. Furthermore, EUROGATE benefits from the highest level of service level agreement, including a fixed representative and his Telekom’s 24/7 hotline. All local network components, including user gateways, are also redundant. This ensures continuous availability and reliability of the network.
