UK’s largest port uses Avigilon HD surveillance system to increase security and improve operations

Challenge:

To help comply with industry regulations, boost security, and improve operational efficiencies, ABP needed an advanced, flexible HD surveillance system that could leverage the existing network infrastructure and easily integrate with the port's current analogue-based system.

Solution:

ABP relies on Avigilon Control Center software with HDSM to seamlessly manage the HD surveillance system 24x7. At the Port of Grimsby, ABP installed two 11 MP Avigilon HD cameras to monitor vehicle entry and exit and to provide driver identification and license plate details, and one 3 MP Avigilon HD camera for complete coverage of the junction leading to the control room.

Six 5 MP Avigilon HD cameras are used at the Port of Immingham to monitor and control the lock gates, which open and close to allow ships to pass through. All six 5 MP Avigilon HD cameras are connected through the fibre network back to the marine control room where the system is monitored live. At the Immingham Bulk Park, four Avigilon analogue video encoders are used to integrate a new analogue PTZ camera and existing analogue cameras into the Avigilon HD Surveillance System for greater performance and manageability. Four 1 MP Avigilon HD cameras provide site overview and monitor the entrance and exit to the weighbridges, where cargo is weighed. Four Avigilon NVRs record and store 30 days of continuous footage.

Benefits:

The Avigilon HD Surveillance System has helped ABP improve operational efficiencies at the Ports of Grimsby and Immingham. By leveraging its existing network infrastructure, ABP was able to reduce installation time and costs. ABP has also been able to centralise several processes, including weighbridge and lock gate operations, which can now be managed remotely in conjunction with the surveillance system.

Associated British Ports:

With 21 ports and over 1,500 employees, Associated British Ports (ABP) is the United Kingdom's largest port operator and leading cruise port operator, moving one quarter of the country's seaborne trade ranging from coal and containers to iron ore and import/export of vehicles. In compliance with industry regulations such as the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, ABP has implemented the necessary security measures to reduce risk by deploying a comprehensive security system across all its sites. As part of this effort, ABP deployed the Avigilon HD Surveillance System at two locations to boost security and at the same time, improve operational efficiencies to ensure the successful management of international trade through its ports.

Improving security and operations:

Surveillance is a critical component of ABP's overall security initiative, but it also plays a key role in helping to build a ‘safety first' culture that protects the health and safety of employees and enhances overall productivity. "With the Avigilon HD Surveillance System in place, we can monitor the entire port operations - from loading ships to crane operations - from a centralised location to ensure port security, employee safety, and productivity," explained Michael Howarth, Humber IT Infrastructure Manager at ABP. "As a result, we can strengthen security, improve operational flow, and reduce costs for better overall operational performance."