TIC 4.0 data processing with AWS IoT Greengrass and S3 in the container terminal
A new and innovative IoT solution enables the container terminal operator EUROGATE to collect and analyze data from machines and systems in the cloud. This is particularly valuable in times of rising costs and growing competition in the port industry.
#IoT
#AWS
#Data processing
#Port industry
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The challenge
Collecting and analyzing data from container terminals in order to survive the growing competition in the port industry.
Enabling data-based decisions
EUROGATE is Europe's largest shipping company-independent container terminal operator. In 2022, the Bremen-based logistics group handled around 11.8 million containers. If these were lined up lengthwise, they would almost circle the globe twice. In order to handle this incredible volume of containers, the processes in the terminals have to be cleverly planned and perfectly coordinated.
This is especially true in times of rising costs and growing competition in the port industry. EUROGATE therefore needed a scalable and cost-efficient cloud solution that would make optimum use of existing resources and allow the company to centrally manage and analyze the devices in the container terminal.
The solution
Real-time processing and analysis thanks to IoT cloud solution
EUROGATE has implemented a new IoT cloud solution developed with the accelerator Storm Innovator. This enables the collection and processing of data from container bridges, which is then stored in the AWS cloud for further processing.
By using this innovative solution, EUROGATE can now efficiently collect, visualize and analyze real-time data in TIC 4.0 format. In the future, the solution can be integrated with many related cloud services, including in the area of big data. In addition, the use of AWS Managed Services such as Greengrass, Kinesis, Glue and S3, for example, enables increased productivity, security and compliance.
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How did we do it
User-friendly and future-proof
Storm Reply's solution is based on the AWS cloud and covers both the edge and the data processing side. The following features and services ensure seamless integration of the new IoT solution and make it future-proof and user-friendly:
TIC 4.0
The solution uses the TIC 4.0 data format, which was introduced by the Terminal Industry Committee (TIC) to standardize the exchange of information in the port industry. The use of this format ensures that the solution is connectable and future-proof.
Data streaming
In order to seamlessly capture the IoT data, the experts at Storm Reply have opted for the MQTT protocol. This enables a robust and reliable connection of the various devices and efficient data transmission in real time to the central cloud system.
AWS IoT Greengrass
The IoT Greengrass service provides centralized management of the devices and supplies them with firmware updates from the AWS cloud. In addition, IoT Greengrass enables local data processing, device management and communication with other devices in offline environments or environments with low connectivity. It also reduces latency, optimizes bandwidth usage and increases system responsiveness.
Storm Innovator
The Storm Innovator is a versatile platform that takes into account the different requirements for data-lake management, device provisioning and device security. It enables seamless onboarding, updates and efficient management of large device fleets. With over-the-air updates for software and firmware, devices are always at the cutting edge of technology. Grouping and tagging capabilities allow for easy organization and control, while tracking software inventory and event history provides valuable insights. The solution also supports zero-touch device provisioning and customizable interfaces that ensure fast and hassle-free deployment. In addition, the solution's capabilities can be extended by quickly onboarding new edge devices or enterprise services. Components of the solution include front-end provisioning, data storage, event management, monitoring and communication tools.
Automatic patching and updating
As regular software updates and security patches are crucial for the smooth operation of edge devices, the new solution automates this process. This ensures that devices are always up to date with the latest firmware, patches and bug fixes to minimize potential vulnerabilities and improve device performance.
ETL data pipeline
To prepare the data for visualization and analysis, the TIC 4.0-formatted message is parsed, enriched and stored in an S3-based data lake. This is what is known as an ETL data pipeline, where ETL stands for extraction, transformation and loading. This enables further processing of the data with tools such as Grafana, AWS SageMaker and various big data services from AWS.
Data visualization with Grafana
The Managed Grafana Service from AWS is used for visualization. This enables the utilization of the powerful monitoring and visualization tool Grafana, whereby the underlying infrastructure and the software itself is completely managed by AWS. Grafana enables both operational metrics and container bridge data such as position and master data to be displayed in near real time.
The solution
Competitive thanks to new insights
For EUROGATE, a lack of transparency of machine statuses in the terminals is a thing of the past. Thanks to the solution implemented by Storm Reply, the logistics service provider will be able to monitor container gantry crane data in real time using standard AWS services. This provides the company with numerous advantages:
Improved
operational efficiency
The TIC 4.0 data stored and analyzed in the cloud enables EUROGATE to gain real-time insights into the operating data of the container gantry cranes in TIC 4.0 format. In future, this will make it easier to maintain and manage the equipment and optimize the allocation of resources and overall efficiency of the terminal.
Informed
decision-making
The comprehensive analyses provided EUROGATE with valuable insights for decision-making regarding important operational KPIs. As a result, processes can be improved in the future, costs can be reduced and customer requirements can be met effectively.
Automated maintenance
of the IoT solution
Maintenance work can be better prioritized and rolled out automatically via CI/CD pipelines on GitHub in the cloud, so that changes can be carried out in an audit-proof manner with infrastructure-as-code and downtimes during operation can be reduced.
EUROGATE is Europe's leading shipping company-independent container terminal group. Together with the Italian terminal operator CONTSHIP Italia, the company operates 12 container terminals from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. The range of offers is rounded off by intermodal services and services around the box. EUROGATE was founded in 1999. 2022 the group of companies handled around 11.9 million TEU across Europe.
Storm Reply is specialized in the design and implementation of innovative Cloud-based solutions and services. Through consolidated expertise in the creation and management of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS) Cloud solutions, Storm Reply supports important companies in Europe and all over the world in the implementation of Cloud-based systems and applications. Storm Reply is AWS Premier Consulting Partner.