The persisting disarray of global supply chains during and after Covid-19 exposed the crying need for automation at ports. Antiquated labor-intensive methods have no place in a world where ships disgorge towering stacks of containers that choke terminals at seaports. Private 5G networks have raised hopes about the possibility of factory-like automation to relieve congestion at seaports. But do port authorities see a business case and have a plan, the know-how, and the resources needed to implement private networks? Let’s find out in this episode of the #Alynment podcast with Ori Marom, Director of Smart Mobility & 5G at Port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Ori Marom is Director of Smart Mobility and 5G at the Port of Rotterdam - the largest seaport in Europe. He is an automation and big data-analytics guru and responsible for all autonomous vehicle projects. Ori also leads the effort to design and execute a plan to implement port-wide Private 5G Network, data center, and edge cloud at Rotterdam Port Authority. 

A new terminal at the port, the Rotterdam World Gateway which began construction in 2015, implemented private LTE network and coped with the Covid crunch with a minimal staff of 15 handling 2 million containers in a year. Ori has taken up the challenge of extending private wireless connectivity to other terminals. The goal of this podcast is to uncover special challenges and considerations port authorities encounter when they implement 5G Private Network-aided automation with terminal ownership spread over several companies.