Rajant And Velodyne Lidar support portwide autonomy

The contract will equip DP World’s Jebel Ali Port, the world’s ninth busiest seaport, with a fleet of DGWorld’s Autonomous Internal Terminal Vehicles (AITVs), including integration into the existing operational processes and infrastructures. This deployment supports DP World’s visionary strategy for future-proofed, seaport digitalisation setting a new global standard for port operations, supply chains, and trade.

Rajant’s fully mobile M2M Kinetic Mesh BreadCrumb wireless nodes, along with Velodyne’s Puck 3D lidar sensors, are vital to enable DGWorld to deliver and integrate their autonomous technology into the existing ITV fleet in multiple phases. DGWorld’s goal is to further increase the operational efficiency of the terminal and reduce the overall size of the currently used fleet.

Velodyne Puck sensors will provide rich computer perception data to help determine the safest way to navigate and direct AITVs in the complex, busy DP World, UAE Region seaport. The Rajant wireless mesh network provides a continuous communications infrastructure to ensure the AITVs are always interconnected and working together.

According to Matthias Krause, General Manager at DGWorld, said: “We trialled other wireless technologies, including the latest 5G, before discovering Rajant. They all had the same physical limitation, which is that wireless cannot go through large, metal container stacks. Rajant‘s Kinetic Mesh M2M technology allows the vehicles to talk to each other, which is critical to communicate fleet directions between container stacks.

“Velodyne Lidar has proven that their sensors are delivering unmatched data and can handle even harsh environments without problems, so it was an obvious choice. Both Velodyne and Rajant provided local support to ensure the project was a success. We have been impressed with their professionalism and extra support over the last several years.”

Erich Smidt, Executive Director Europe, Velodyne Lidar, added: “Velodyne is honored to be selected to help fully automate terminal vehicle transport at Jebel Ali Port, the premier port in the Middle East. This exciting initiative will enable port terminal vehicles to work fully autonomously without drivers in a hectic, crowded environment.

“We want to thank our valued partner DGWorld for their vision in how Velodyne’s 3D lidar sensors can power automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that provide a quantum leap in port terminal automation in the region and beyond.”

Geoff Smith, Rajant’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, finished: “Selecting Rajant Kinetic Mesh to serve as the backbone for DGWorld and DP World Jebel Ali Port really highlights the difference between Rajant M2M InstaMesh technology and Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G.

“We are pleased to be chosen to make this AITV fleet deployment possible. Rajant is the only industrial wireless network for mobile machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, which is also capable of overcoming RF signal blockages of large metal containers and signal interference from ships, radar, and neighboring ports.”