With state-of-the-art tracking telematics technology and a wide variety of sensors, a logistic service that provides ship, train and roadway/trucking and, in some cases, air transportation can literally track the container and monitor its contents from the shipping dock to the final destination.
One company that provides data and services for the supply chain industry, Traxens, has equipped reefer containers for a shipping partner, PT Trans Kontainer Solusindo (TKS), to have a controlled-atmosphere reefer fleet in Indonesia. With the smart container solution, clients have full visibility of shipped cargo in the controlled-atmosphere containers throughout all logistical legs of the journey. In fact, the whole shipping ecosystem, including ports, freight forwarders, insurance and financial institutions, can also benefit from the data gathered by sensing/telematics technology.
To obtain a smart container, a standard container is equipped with sensors that measure temperature, shock, humidity and door status of containers and transmit that information in real-time as the cargo travels anywhere around the world. The sensors not only provide measurements about the container but also its contents. A smart container provides users:
- greater control over their cargo
- 24/7 visibility of shipments via rail, road or sea
- real-time notifications for containers
While the sensors and the telematics capabilities have been available for many years, it takes a significant system design effort to bring the pieces together to achieve these types of results. However, when implemented, this monitoring can result in improved business processes and decision making capabilities and provide users confidence in the status of their cargo.
Filed Under: Sensor Tips
Tell Us What You Think!