Project Summary
This project conducts detailed R&D for an innovative system using both floating 5G buoys and cloud computing to provide weather and sea-state conditions, extending the data horizon to port sea channels and open ocean.
Project Achievements
Activities This project focused on the creation of a 5G enabled data dashboard, which presents the data acquired from Port-specific sensor packages hosted on our innovative mesh network of data buoys deployed at sea. The dashboard delivers real-time data pipeline development for collecting, transmitting, storing and visualisation of data. The data dashboard was graphically designed for fast interpretation of weather, met-ocean data and warning events to increase response time of operations to port-weather delays.
Conclusions
The outcomes of this project was successful and noted as scalable given further funding for sensor package development and sea- testing, enabling real-time data throughout to the dashboard. Utilisation of port data dashboards has been proven to provide fine-scale weather warnings in real-time based on buoy-localised data. This has the potential to improve monitoring and response times for port operations. On a wider scale the outcomes will reduce GHG emissions associated with idling ships & port-weather delays.
Next Steps
Construction and integration of sensor packages into the buoy platforms. Following this, a deployment in a test bed environment, with designed sensor packages to test real-time data capture potential. The integration of AI technologies will also improve data and communication rates via machine learning. The dashboard itself has, and will, generate opportunities for collaborations with port authorities. In addition, it has generated interest for other use cases that require fine- scale, real-time data for decarbonisation.
