Hapag-Lloyd has decided to equip its entire container fleet with real-time tracking devices, after successfully introducing real-time monitoring for its reefer fleet in 2019.
Following the installation of its Internet of Things (IoT) product Hapag-Lloyd LIVE on its refrigerated boxes, the German carrier will start to install newly developed devices to all standard containers of its 3 million TEU fleet.
“Going forward, we will be able to provide all our customers with real-time track and trace data, giving them full visibility of any container movement worldwide. We will be able to detect delays earlier, inform impacted customers automatically and initiate counteractions at an early stage. We firmly believe that our real-time tracking approach will not only be beneficial for our customers but be a game changer for the entire container shipping industry,” commented Maximilian Rothkopf, COO of Hapag-Lloyd.
Hapag-Lloyd said it continues to further digitalise container shipping and Hapag-Lloyd LIVE will become available for customers of its standard containers during 2023.
The new devices will be able to transmit data on a real-time basis from each container and can supply location data based on GPS, measure temperature and monitor any sudden shocks to the container.
“In the future, additional sensors could be added through Bluetooth,” noted Hapag-Lloyd.
To ensure safety for crews, cargo, and vessels the devices are designed and certified to the ATEX Zone 2 explosion proof standard, according to the company, which said it will continue to work together with key customers to develop and expand the product and its features based on their feedback.
The shipping container monitoring device integrates the latest energy harvesting technology and low-power consumption techniques to ensure ultra-long lifetimes with high-frequency data sending, according to a statement.
The container fleet will be equipped with devices both from Nexxiot AG starting this summer as well as with devices from ORBCOMM.
“This is the largest deployment of active hardware monitoring devices to date in the ocean and intermodal shipping space, with the potential to create a vastly more efficient and sustainable global supply chain,” said Stefan Kalmund, CEO of Nexxiot.
“It is our vision to build the world’s smartest container fleet and to provide valuable information to our customers at the frequency they need,” stated Olaf Habert, director container applications at Hapag-Lloyd.
He added, “Working with the most advanced companies for global-scale IoT applications will help us to equip our container fleet as fast as possible. This is what our customers now require and increasingly expect so they can manage their complex supply chains better.”
