Port operator Steveco embraces Port 4.0 with private LTE solution from Nokia and Ukkoverkot

• Benefits to Steveco from the new high-capacity mobile broadband network in the Port of HaminaKotka include improved situational awareness of port logistics and security

• Private networks operator Ukkoverkot and Nokia have signed a strategic alliance agreement regarding private LTE and digital automation for Finnish enterprises

19 December, 2018

Espoo, Finland - Nokia and Ukkoverkot are providing a private LTE network to the Port of HaminaKotka, bringing the ability to embrace IoT and digitalize processes as well as providing mobile access to vital applications and information.

Through the new connectivity the harbor operator has seen improvements across multiple areas, from improved situational awareness of container handling to warehouse logistics and port security. The dedicated low-latency network enables wirelessly connected cameras on cranes to provide real-time video streaming and analytics, as well as business-critical connectivity for trucks, sensors and workers.

The deal with Steveco is the most recent result from the close partnership between Ukkoverkot, the leading provider of private LTE networks in Finland, and Nokia. The collaboration has already brought dedicated pervasive connectivity to Finavia, Konecranes and facilitated a Sandvik and Nokia deal to deliver industrial IoT to mining, and the companies today announced a new strategic alliance to target more business among Finnish corporate customers.

Large enterprises increasingly require highly reliable wireless connectivity as they execute on their digital transformation agenda based on analytical insight, for which they need connected sensors, machines, robots, vehicles and people. Nokia and Ukkoverkot bring proven, mission-critical wireless networks and cloud solutions for specific use cases in Finland. The aim is to help shape enterprise customer networks with state-of-the-art technology so that they can fully embrace IoT, digitalization and intelligence for greater business efficiency, safety and agility. 

Niko Arola, Terminal Manager, Steveco, said: "Previously it was not possible to prove the condition in which containers arrived to, and departed from, the harbor. Now we can, if needed, establish the status and state of incoming containers and insurance responsibility thanks to the cameras in the cranes. The connectivity also covers our terminals and the rest of the port area, enabling efficient communication for logistics and asset tracking." 

Jouko Tuppurainen, VP Sales, Ukkoverkot, said: "Private LTE provides the reliability, coverage, capacity, and security needed for industrial campuses, like ports, across a variety of industries. A dedicated network infrastructure connects people, vehicles, sensors, machines and robots with a guaranteed quality of service."

Stephan Litjen, head of Nokia Digital Automation, said: "Ports involve many parties, each needing connectivity but requiring access only to certain information stemming from the different applications and devices. A dedicated digital automation platform can be sliced so that each party can access the needed information, and each slice can be assigned priorities. It also opens the window to advanced analytics and other digital automation building blocks to boost efficiency and productivity."

About Steveco

Steveco Group produces and develops logistics services for a wide variety of needs. The company is the biggest producer of stevedoring services in Finland operating at the ports of Kotka, Hamina and Helsinki. We are driven by a strong sense of accountability in terms of the environment, our professional personnel or the customer's cargo.

About Ukkoverkot

Established in 2014, Ukkoverkot provides tailor-made connections on land, sea and air to support digitalization of industrial and security operators. The customers include Konecranes, the Finnish Defense Forces, Finavia, Steveco, the Border Guard, VR and Erillisverkot. A high-speed 2.6GHz frequency band and licenses for the 450 MHz band are assigned to Ukkoverkot in Finland. The 2.6GHz frequency band available to Ukkoverkot also enables services based on 5G technology.