Over the airwaves

“Ports are certainly not an exception to this trend and, indeed, may well be prime examples,” says Mr Eade. “Security has always been an issue, but both drug smuggling and international terrorism have reached greater degrees of sophistication over recent years, while health and safety requirements constantly grow more stringent.

“With economies and companies globally still fighting to recover from the financial crises of recent times, efficiency of operation can be a key profit driver for many operations. To help ports meet these wide-ranging challenges, a modern radio system is likely to be a key tool.”

Although originally designed to meet public safety requirements, TETRA (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio) has become an important part of the communications strategy for many operations, particularly those considered as critical national infrastructure. “TETRA offers excellent levels of encryption, to keep communications safe, and also has outstanding audio quality – a key aspect for noisy environments such as ports,” says Mr Eade.

“Increasingly, however, data and data applications are becoming more critical. These can range from simple use of GPS, to job allocation or status-triggered messages to automate processes or render operations more efficient.”