Nokia Implements Private Wireless for Husky Terminal and Stevedoring to Improve Marine Freight Operations at a US port

Private wireless networks remove performance issues for mission-critical applications that are encountered over traditional Wi-Fi and enable the evolution to a cloud-based terminal operating system.

Nokia recenty announced it has deployed a private wireless network for Husky Terminal and Stevedoring, a terminal operator and stevedoring company based at the US Port of Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington. The deployment of secure, low latency private wireless connectivity allows Husky Terminal to concentrate on reinventing marine freight operations using innovative digital technologies to exceed customer expectations.

Nokia deployed the private 4.9G/LTE wireless network to support Husky Terminal’s upgrade to a cloud-based terminal operating system (TOS), allowing the company to manage and coordinate terminal operations from anywhere. The network, which leverages Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC), has removed the reliability and capacity issues that the company had previously experienced using traditional Wi-Fi with its previous TOS. Husky Terminal is now supported by robust, resilient, and secure low latency connectivity across its 115+ acre container yard, which has been achieved in a network footprint using 91 percent less hardware.

In fact, coverage was enabled through the deployment of six 4.9G/LTE antennas in four access point locations, compared to the 39 Wi-Fi access points required to cover the same area, thereby reducing the amount of fiber required at the site, as well as other operational costs. With over 40 yard trucks now connected, Husky Terminal can monitor them to aid worker activities. It is also now investigating use cases that will leverage private wireless to further enhance operations for its customers and teams.

Philip Styf, Director of IT, Husky Terminal, said: “The deployment of Nokia private LTE was a significant milestone for us at the Port of Tacoma and has exceeded our expectations. The regular disconnections and packet loss that we experienced over Wi-Fi, that created downtime and impacted productivity, are now a thing of the past. With reliability no longer a concern, we’ve moved from firefighting mode to focusing on the strategic use cases that will further enhance operations for our customers as well as our teams working at the port.”

David de Lancelloti, VP, Enterprise Campus Edge Business at Nokia, said: “Industrial-grade Nokia Private Wireless networks are the cornerstone of the digital transformation journey at ports. We worked in close collaboration with Husky Terminal to design and deliver a private 4.9G/LTE network that satisfied their need for robust reliable connectivity. The industrial-grade Nokia DAC digitalization platform will be critical as Husky Terminal evolves its modernization plans at the Port of Tacoma.”

Nokia has deployed mission-critical networks to more than 2,600 leading enterprise customers in the transportation, energy, large enterprise, manufacturing, web scale and public sector segments around the globe. We have also extended our expertise to more than 635 private wireless customers worldwide.