Turkey’s Assan Port, in İskenderun, was established in June 2010 by Assan Liman İşletmeleri, one of the Kibar Group companies providing domestic transportation, warehousing, storage, out of gauge cargo transportation and port services in Turkey.
In addition to serving international container shipping companies (general cargo ships, project cargo ships, and dry bulk carriers) with an established capacity of 250,000 TEU (Twenty Equipment Units), this port was the first container terminal in the Gulf of Iskenderun. With new investments, Assan Port aims to reach a capacity of 400,000 TEUs.
The port is the only container terminal connecting Northern Iraq to the West and serving companies in the Eastern Mediterranean, South-eastern Anatolia, and south of Central Anatolia. Therefore, the region’s seamless operations and security are of utmost importance. Assan Port provides port security under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS).
Modernising security
An old CCTV system hampered the port’s security operations because it wasn’t flexible or detailed enough for operators to understand what was happening fully. It was determined that Assan Port’s security needed to improve security efficiency and situational awareness to effectively protect its ships, equipment, shipyards, and containers. The system had many threats, including theft, vandalism and sabotage, trespassing, and terrorism.
Teknoteam Teknoloji Ürünleri selected Hanwha Techwin for its range of products, five-year extended warranty, and SSM.
Wisenet devices replaced the entire system, including over 177 Q Series cameras and three X PTZ PLUS cameras. Additionally, the team invested in the 64-channel XRN-6410DB4 NVR, equipped with a dual switched-mode power supply, to ensure recording continuity. Moreover, the NVRs can read AI metadata, which allows operators to search video quickly and accurately for objects and attributes.
Wisenet X PTZ PLUS cameras provide users with evidence-grade images of activity occurring in large open areas. With this technology, high-quality images can be captured of objects up to a distance of 200 metres in the large Assan Port shipyard lighting conditions. In addition to the AI auto-tracking feature, the range also features hands-free control of other cameras while monitoring the movement of objects. An operator can program a camera to lock onto, and auto-track an object with a right-click of a mouse.
Video analytics using deep learning detects and categorises people and vehicles. The video analytics is supported by AI algorithms unique to Hanwha Techwin.
“Thanks to Hanwha Techwin technology, the solution now in place provides a complete and accurate overview of Assan Port,” says Adnan Sanli of Teknoteam Teknoloji Ürünleri. “Using AI to track objects automatically and calling on deep learning to search for and classify objects helps keep this vital port secure – and the shipping that relies on it flowing efficiently.”
Fast, accurate and cost-effective
The Q Series cameras – of which 110 have been installed at the site – feature Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), which performs at up to 120dB to produce clear images from scenes containing a challenging mix of bright and dark areas. As the devices support Power over Ethernet (PoE), installing the devices is faster and cheaper since separate cabling and a power supply are unnecessary. It is, therefore, a cost-effective and quick solution to install across the port. In addition, video evidence can be stored at the edge via an SD/SDHC/SDXC memory slot, so it is not lost if the network goes down.
Eyup Tetik, Corporate Sales Manager at ENTPA ELEKTRONİK A.Ş.explains, “It was important to the Assan Port team that they had a robust video system that improved situational awareness and response times. As a busy international Port with millions of dollars of stock and equipment, having the best security that’s intuitive to use and easy to install was essential.”
With the new Wisenet solution, security team members can monitor the shipyard and its assets 24/7, on-site and remotely. They can also view live and recorded video via smart tablets, enabling them to continue monitoring the port and investigating events while moving around the site.
Future plans
The team plans to install Wisenet cameras across three locations as part of the project. All video footage and data are monitored from one central control room to ensure everything runs smoothly. Assan Port’s leadership is looking for opportunities to increase its load capacity more efficiently while maintaining the same level of service to its customers without adding any significant headcount to its workforce. Wisenet’s efficiency and scalability make it possible for them to fulfil this goal due to its efficiency and scalability.