19 Feb 2014

Background

Project Sea Lock has over 70 locks and accommodates cargo boats up to 300 feet long. The locks are primarily used to prevent water from flooding the mainland while still allowing a viable shipping channel. The Project is a major contributor to this host city’s economy as a shipping and receiving lane.

Security challenges

Before DVTEL’s Latitude Video Management System was installed, each lock was either individually manned or someone was brought in from another location to operate the lock. When a vessel arrived at the lock, the gate was manually opened and the ship monitored until it was fully enclosed, at which point the lock gate was closed. In essence, all operations were manual, requiring onsite monitoring by personnel at all times.

The DVTEL solution

Scenetracker uses current IP technology to improve safety and efficiency in the operation of the locks. Using existing and new cameras at each lock location, the award-winning SceneTracker is used to virtually “stitch” together all camera views at each lock so that a complete scene of all locks is available to a centrally located operator. Today, personnel can view each entire lock on their monitor and open and close gates remotely.

PTZs for verification

Using PTZ features adds another level of security. Verification of vessel identification information is more easily accessible (i.e., markings on the boat from an angle not easily seen from a monitoring station) and the boats can be remotely visually scanned if there is suspicious activity.

SceneTracker helps save money

Using SceneTracker is logistically more efficient as it can reduce or eliminate the need for dedicated personnel at each lock or a team of people to man multiple locks. A remote team has a vastly improved view. The iSceneTracker solution provides the lock owner with a substantial annual savings.

"By having a remote monitoring station, there is no need to dispatch a team to manually open and close a gate, allowing for more traffic to pass on any given day"

Greater efficiencies realised

By having a remote monitoring station, there is no need to dispatch a team to manually open and close a gate, allowing for more traffic to pass on any given day, thus increasing overall project revenues. Delivery times are reduced as waiting periods are diminished. These improvements provide the lock operation with the proven statistics to pro-mote the solution worldwide, thus delivering true value to the end user.

Savings, Scalability, Operational

Improvements - The results

Use of existing hardware - The project makes use of already installed cameras, reducing the cost of the solution.

Networked-Based Solution - No need to run new infrastructure because existing network was used to support the new system.

SceneTracker  - Provides a real-world, real-time perspective of multiple camera images in a single integrated view. While traditional video management systems typically provide multiplexed or sequential views, SceneTracker allows the world to be seen as the human eye was meant to see it. With SceneTracker, objects or persons can be tracked, zoomed in on and hovered over for a detailed view.

Reduction in manpower - Savings of over £250,000 annually.

Increased security and operational benefits - Using this system allows additional security measures to be put in place. The overall lock operations are considerably more efficient, resulting in greater customer satisfaction and a long-run increase in total revenue.