Customer
Jebel Ali Port is the flagship port of DP World, a leader in international marine terminal operations and development, logistics and related services. The port is the world's largest man-made harbour and the largest container port between Rotterdam and Singapore. Located 35 kilometres to the southwest of Dubai on the United Arab Emirates Arabian Gulf coast, the port’s strategic geographic location has enabled it to act as a maritime link between the Middle East and the western hemisphere. It is a technologically advanced facility, employing state-of-the-art equipment and is a model for the industry and the region in everything from size to efficiency and security.
Challenge
The DP World marine control tower at Jebel Ali is an important facility for monitoring and controlling the movement of vessels in and out of the port. Physical security at the control tower was in need of upgrading and, in keeping with requirements mandated by Jebel Ali Port Security, DP World conducted a security risk assessment to determine how best to improve security at the site. Based on the assessment, DP World recommended an external video surveillance system.
A basic design was developed that included 13 analogue day/night box cameras and two outdoor pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras. Upon review, DP World concluded that the installation of this analogue video surveillance system would also require the services of civil and electrical personnel for cabling and power needs. These additional services would add to the overall system costs as well as potentially increase the time frame for completion.
DP World shelved the analogue proposal and initiated a search for a more technically advanced video surveillance solution. They needed a camera system that would thoroughly cover the designated areas; require little or no external services or personnel for installation/maintenance; offer features and functionality that would enhance monitoring and operational control; be reasonably priced and ultimately provide greater detail and picture quality than would a typical analogue system.
Megapixel solution
DP World moved forward on the project with a new solution featuring megapixel cameras from Arecont Vision. When comparing the Arecont Vision megapixel system to the original analogue system, it was evident that while the analogue cameras were priced less than megapixel cameras on a per camera basis, they deliver less value when a total system cost was evaluated.
The new design included two AV8185DN 180° day/night panoramic 8-megapixel dome cameras, two AV10005DN day/night 10-megapixel MegaVideo® Compact box cameras and four AV2105DN day/night 2- megapixel MegaVideo® Compact box cameras. Compared to the original design that included 13 analogue cameras, the six-camera Arecont Vision megapixel system provided greater coverage with fewer cameras and significantly higher resolution images. The ability to digitally zoom into live scenes and recorded video while maintaining high resolution and wide area coverage also eliminated the need for PTZ cameras. And with Moonlight™ mode, the cameras automatically shift from colour to black and white as ambient light diminishes.
Megapixel benefits
Because the megapixel network cameras are PoE (Power over Ethernet) capable, the need for separate electrical cables to provide power was eliminated. Power and data is conveyed over a single network cable per camera. Using fewer cameras to effectively cover the same area also translated into infrastructure cost savings in containment works, cables and installations, which actually brought down the original cost of the system by nearly 20%, easily reflecting an improved return on investment (ROI). In addition to these advantages, the megapixel solution also contributed towards a greener environment because of fewer cables and less hardware that was needed.
The Arecont Vision megapixel camera system provides superior performance and imaging capabilities than the analogue system and most importantly, proved to deliver the most cost-effective video surveillance solution with tangible benefits and ROI.
