Transparency counts

SECTOR ANALYSIS: THE GROWING NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY IS POWERING THE UPTAKE OF REMOTE REEFER MONITORING SOLUTIONS

Identec Solutions head of marketing Mark Buzinkay highlights the importance of transparency for cold chain safety. “As retail/commerce you want to excel with the best quality of goods; logistics companies ask for higher handling fees because of the delicacy of the cargo and logistics companies must be able to counter claims of damaged goods if this was not their fault (trip report),” he explains, summing up: “In total, digital records and 24/7 mobile monitoring provides transparency – about the initial state of the goods, the trip conditions, and the delivered goods.”

He points out that automated, remote reefer monitoring 24/7 is not only a topic for large container terminals, but also for the small ones along inland routes. Identec Solutions for instance has seen its Reefer Runner 5G solution taken up by logistics companies on the River Rhine (see below), and this is just one example.

Elsewhere, the Move to -15°C coalition, spearheaded by DP World, was launched in 2023 following a study that found frozen food temperatures could be changed by 3°C to save carbon, dioxide emissions, with no impact on food safety or quality. The coalition aims to move frozen food temperature standards from -18 to -15°C. Remote reefer monitoring plays a key role in providing the data to quantify the initiative’s effects (see below).

The following, company by company review, highlights recent key technical developments and new solutions launched by reefer monitoring system suppliers.

NEW CONTRACTS, SMART SOLUTIONS, SUSTAINABILITY AND DATA ANALYSIS

Copeland: Copeland’s REFCON 6 is an automated terminal solution that covers the entire container terminal. Two-way communications between an operator and every reefer container can take place 24/7, and all data is securely logged for event history and documentation purposes. Supplementing the REFCON 6 software, REFCON 6 portable modems offer site refrigerated container monitoring solutions and full site coverage independent of reefer hardware. Meanwhile, the US-headquartered company’s ProAct™ Transport provides actionable insights. Cloud hosted, with secure user interfaces and application programming interfaces (APIs), ProAct™ Transport can be used directly or integrated into proprietary operations, bringing benefits from data-supported customer interaction to data-enabled decision making on maintenance and repairs. It gives real time visibility of the operating condition of the reefer. At the end of 2023, Copeland and reefer container manufacturing company Maersk Container Industry (MCI) announced a collaboration to integrate REFCON 6 BLE reefer monitoring system with MCI’s Star Cool reefer containers fitted with Sekstant gateways to boost cold chain visibility.

Identec Solutions: The Austria-headquartered company has won a clutch of recent contracts for its Reefer Runner solutions. Australia’s global logistics provider Mainfreight has implemented its reefer monitoring system. Its integration into Mainfreight’s operational framework boosts temperature control and data accessibility. Jake Hedley, Branch Manager, Mainfreight Australia, says: “Reefer Runner will fundamentally transform how we manage refrigerated cargo. The automation of temperature monitoring is streamlining our processes, providing real-time oversight, and allowing us to deliver superior service to our customers. It’s a game-changer for us and them.” The integration of Reefer Runner automates temperature monitoring and control processes. Identec explains that this minimises human error and ensures immediate alerts are triggered for temperature anomalies, enabling swift corrective action. The introduction of Reefer Runner was a strategic response to Mainfreight’s expanding customer base and contract successes. The solution frees up valuable resources, allowing team members to focus on other critical aspects of supply chain management. Elsewhere, Basel-based logistics provider Ultra-Brag AG has marked its 100th anniversary by expanding its reefer monitoring capabilities with the 5G Reefer Runner technology. Already equipped with Reefer Runner in their main reefer yard, this upgrade enhances customer service by providing seamless, automated monitoring and real-time data access. Since 2019, Ultra-Brag has utilized the Reefer Runner monitoring system at its Basel container terminal, equipped with 30 Reefer Runner tags. Ultra-Brag has now ordered Reefer Runner 5G for their alternate backup container yard to monitor reefers on demand during peak periods or when the primary yard is fully booked. Marco Ruepp, Head of IT, Ultra-Brag AG, said: “The 5G-based technology eliminates the need for pre-installed infrastructure, offering flexibility and ease of implementation across our operations. This innovative solution ensures real-time data access and proactive issue resolution, enhancing reliability and peace of mind for our clients.” Launched last year, and leveraging the latest 5G mobile technology, Reefer Runner 5G provides real-time visibility and automated monitoring without the need for pre-installed infrastructure.

Lumel: Industrial automation device manufacturer Lumel launched its reefer monitoring solution specifically to overcome challenges faced by container terminals. According to its container terminal customer, these included a lack of supervision over the parameters of container power supply, lack of information about power supply interruptions as well as lack of possibility to provide the goods receiver with a documentation of continuous power supply to the container. So, the Polish headquartered company developed a mobile measuring case for container application that uses a measuring circuit consisting of a power network analyser, current transformers and built-in Wi-Fi and/or GSM modules to provide remote access to measurement results 24/7. Benefits include full control over the parameters of the container power supply; an immediate text message is generated in case of any problems with the container power supply.

ORBCOMM: ORBCOMM has released the latest generation of its reefer container monitoring solution, which enables intelligent reefer management. Launched at the end of last year, the US-headquartered company says it “tackles one of the most challenging obstacles to successful programs – large scale deployment – where customers have complex technology stacks, large numbers of devices and high third-party installation costs”. By installing inside the reefer controller cabinet instead of externally, this smart container technology deters device theft or tampering, reduces third-party installation costs and installs without drilling to prevent potential container damage. ORBCOMM explains that its remote reefer monitoring offers the potential to provide temperature tracking, management and control to all stakeholders in the cold supply chain including ports and terminals. Through the use of APIs and third-party systems, ORBCOMM can make data accessible via carriers. The company adds: “Port and terminal partners can then use this data to optimise their own operational planning with power, equipment and resources, to reduce port congestion and ensure safer and sustainable port calls.” ORBCOMM is a partner in the Move to -15°C coalition with other industry stakeholders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. It will use its remote reefer monitoring data to support customers who are quantifying the initiative’s effects, at any point of the journey, including in ports. The company says that in 2025, it is poised to extend its share of this growing market with blue-chip partnerships and more business wins with the world’s top container shipping lines.

Refrigerated Transport Electronics (RTE): Last year RTE launched BEACON, a system that enables reefer terminal operators to visually verify when reefers require a connection to electrical outlets and when they need to be disconnected. It was developed based on feedback from current users of RTE’s GRASP reefer monitoring platform. One common concern was managing the complex process of plug-in/plug-out work orders. These operators wanted a way to verifiably compare the expected connection status from TOS against the actual container status, which required a tight integration with TOS. The US-headquartered company explains that the objective was to prevent containers from being left without electricity for extended periods of time and to ensure they were properly disconnected before being moved. GRASP reefer monitoring software automatically converts TOS-generated lists, such as arrivals, into actionable work orders such as plug-in commands. GRASP sends digital commands to yard teams and also converts BEACON LED devices mounted at each reefer slot to brightly illuminate the desired action. The entire process is automated for improved efficiency in management and yard communication. Recent uptake: intermodal network and logistics solutions provider ThPA S.A. has integrated RTE’s GRASP automated reefer monitoring platform, coupled with WRAD II Bluetooth® wireless devices into the Port of Thessaloniki. RTE’s first terminal project in Greece sees the integration into 400 reefer container points at the port as an additional initiative for the Port’s transformation into a “smart port”. WRAD II is one of several RTE reefer monitoring systems that connects to the GRASP software platform, providing real-time reefer data access to terminal management across multiple user interfaces. “ThPA S.A. chose GRASP coupled with WRAD II solution due to its powerful functionalities, proven reliability and easy integration capabilities, “ said Spyros Nikolaou, ICT and Digital Transformation Director, ThPA S.A.