Ibadan, 20 January 2023. – Sateliot and Sensefinity have launched global 5G-IoT satellite connectivity to facilitate the first data transmission technology from 1,000 smart containers, saving medium shipping companies up to a reported $1.4 million per year on container maintenance and repairs.
According to the release, actual satellite coverage is not 100% global, as geostationary satellites only cover fixed areas of the planet. Moreover, their far placement makes them way less efficient than Low Earth Orbit satellites, which come into play to fix this problem. Without NB-IoT coverage at high sea, trackers and sensors can only record the information, uploading it when the vessels are near shore when it is already too late to do anything with damaged cargo. Furthermore, legacy satellite transmission costs for every container are a high addition to a vessel’s already expensive bills, particularly when considering tariffs and port and channel fees.
Because of this, Sateliot’s 5G NB-IoT satellite constellation will enable Sensefinity to report location, temperature, humidity, vibration, and container breach in near real-time. This consequently unlocks a set of high-impact use cases like notifications when a container falls into the ocean, alerting for fires inside containers, warning for cold-chain breaks for sensitive cargo like food and medicines, and reporting impacts and damages in containers.
Jaume Sanpera, Sateliot CEO, commented on the partnership, “investing in smart containers and global continuous connectivity transmission through our network of 5G-NB IoT satellites will provide vessels and shipping companies better control of transported goods, avoiding damage claims and lawsuits costing companies billions of dollars per year.”
Similarly, Sensefinity CEO Orlando Remédios commented: “Our technology will help the international shipping industry to overcome cargo damage, which costs a yearly estimate of $6 billion, reducing complaints and lawsuits, and also food waste and carbon emissions. Maritime shipping businesses will grow sustainably, allowing an increase in revenue while caring for the planet.”
