CentrePort has completed the first major operational application of its private 5G network, installing 5G-enabled Peplink modems across the port’s reach stackers, empty container handlers and fully electric Internal Movement Vehicles.
The deployment, carried out by the port’s Digital and Engineering teams following the network’s launch late last year, has delivered immediate improvements in connectivity reliability and operational coordination.
Prior to the 5G rollout, equipment operators faced persistent connectivity issues caused by the unreliable public 4G network, with containers themselves creating dead zones that disrupted data transmission.
Staff had resorted to using radio channels to relay container movement information, a workaround that congested communications infrastructure intended for health and safety purposes.
The private 5G network has eliminated this problem, enabling operators to access CentrePort systems through onboard tablets and freeing radio channels for safety-critical communications.
Early results reported by operators include no network dropouts, faster transmission of instructions and a significant reduction in non-essential radio traffic.
CentrePort CEO Anthony Delaney described the improvement as a step change in container operations, noting that cleaner radio channels directly enhance the port’s ability to manage safety communications without interference.
The network is operated in partnership with Tū Ātea, a Māori telecommunications spectrum provider, using high-power radio transceivers and antennas mounted on existing light-pole infrastructure, connected via fibre optic to a cloud-based network core.
Looking ahead, CentrePort plans to install 13 modems on new reefer towers to transmit data from reefer and energy management systems to office-based staff, and will trial 5G connectivity with its CCTV camera system to provide continuous, port-wide visual coverage in support of safety operations.
