As part of the ongoing digitalization efforts at the Port of Moerdijk, SkyLab B.V. has added a new gateway on top of the Nordex / Acciona Windpower wind turbine owned by Vattenfall on the eastern side of the port and industrial area. The intelligent hardware at a height of 114 meters interconnects IoT networks of sensors used for monitoring management, safety, and the environment. This expansion contributes to significantly improved capacity and reliability of data traffic.
“For the port authority, the additional coverage on the east side is important due to the new Logistics Park Moerdijk. But also simply to address potential disruptions and utilize more data," explained Yorick Stoutjesdijk, Asset Management Advisor at the port authority.
In January 2021, SkyLab installed the first gateway in Moerdijk on the wind turbine on the western side of the port and industrial area. Together with other gateways, it forms a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) suitable for long-distance communication with low power consumption. This enables wireless sensors to operate independently for years and transmit their data over distances of kilometers. The available networks in Moerdijk, also accessible to third parties, are part of the world's largest Internet of Things (IoT) networks. SkyLab introduces a unique "SkyNet" concept, simultaneously offering multiple providers of private, commercial, and public networks. The advantage of this concept lies in providing optimal secure and reliable IoT connectivity for everyone with minimal infrastructure, costs, and environmental impact.
Strengthening with an additional 80 square kilometers of coverage
The Port of Moerdijk uses the LoRaWAN network to monitor the environment, such as measuring air quality and CO2 emissions. It also facilitates the monitoring of the terrain through sensors connected via the Internet of Things. The data provide insights into the functioning of properties on the site and beyond, assisting in security, management, and maintenance. This includes the security of gates and buildings, reading of barriers, and monitoring of damages, water detection, or smoke/heat detectors that can instantly report even during a power outage. The new gateway's additional coverage is also an extension for sensors deployed under challenging conditions, such as below ground level, like piezometers for continuous groundwater monitoring, sewer monitoring, and clearance heights or even deep inside buildings. With the expansion, additional coverage has been added with a radius of several kilometers, equivalent to an area of over 100 square kilometers.
Increasingly, Internet of Things networks at altitude
When the Port of Moerdijk, ProRail, and SkyLab started working with LoRaWAN in 2019, the idea of installations on wind turbines emerged, and the first gateway was installed in 2021. Gateways are now also present on wind turbines in Zeeland and Botlek, with SkyLab currently working on an ambitious project to extend LoRaWAN IoT networks on the North Sea. At sea, a single gateway at height can cover an area of about 700 km2, enabling the establishment of an IoT telecommunication network with minimal infrastructure and low costs, something not easily achievable with other technologies. The first two TenneT platforms off the coast of Borssele and Egmond aan Zee have already been equipped, and the network will be further expanded to other wind farms, platforms, ferries, and tenders.
Especially on the North Sea, there is a significant need for accessible IoT connectivity, contributing to the monitoring of assets for platforms, wind farms, buoys, cables, commercial shipping, pleasure boating, and recreation. The technology can be easily deployed for the quick detection of drowning incidents, potentially eliminating endless searches with significant consequences. #portofmoerdijk#portofrotterdam#portofamsterdam#portofgronningen#portofantwerpen#smartport#smartcities#smartports#smartindustry#lorawan#skynet#skylab#skynetiot#skylabiot#lpwan#iot
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