- Finnish technology companies Vaisala and Unikie are to cooperate to enable better utilisation of hyperlocal accurate weather data in ports.
- Local weather data is of considerable importance for the smooth and safe operation of ports.
- The hyperlocal weather information produced by the Vaisala Beacon weather stations can be used by all port operators with an application developed by Unikie.
Finnish technology companies Vaisala and Unikie are to cooperate to enable better utilisation of hyperlocal accurate weather data in ports, says an article published on ship insight website.
Vaisala’s weather station solution
Vaisala’s weather station solution collects real-time hyperlocal observations from the port area. Combined with the real-time port data sharing and control system developed by Unikie, it enhances port operations and improves safety.
Importance of weather data
Local weather data is of considerable importance for the smooth and safe operation of ports.
Especially rapidly changing wind conditions can cause unexpected problems for ports, including grounding, ship collisions, and damage to port-area machinery. By observing the local weather, the realisation of these risks can be avoided.
“Nearly half of the weather-related risks and operational problems in ports are related to winds and their sudden changes. Vaisala Beacon weather station network enables accurate observations of the key weather parameters, such as wind speed and direction, and rainfall throughout the port area. Accurate weather data helps port operators in their day-to-day decision-making and improves port safety and efficiency. The collected weather data can also be used in the future to support the port’s infrastructure development more intelligently to address changing climate conditions and extreme weather impacts,” said Vaisala’s Head of Maritime Mikko Nikkanen.
POLO, the aim of better optimising port operation
Unikie, a pioneer in intelligent machines, vehicles and industrial applications capable of real-time decision-making, has implemented a real-time situational awareness solution for the port environment, to which hyperlocal weather data from Vaisala’s weather station solution adds a significant new feature.
The POLO environment developed by Unikie for intelligent port operations enhances the flow of information in ports by combining information collected from the equipment of different port operators into a real-time information sharing, warning and control system.
POLO’s user interface, Port Activity App, is already in use in 15 Finnish ports and in Gävle, Sweden.
“We are constantly developing new features for POLO with the aim of better optimising port operations and improving the situational awareness. Vaisala’s expertise adds a new dimension to our solution, as hyperlocal weather data is an essential part of the process and real-time situational awareness of the port and its operators. The first joint projects are already underway and the results of the utilization of hyperlocal weather data in the port will be seen as early as next spring,” said Unikie’s Head of Industrial Solutions Petri Kalske.
Hyperlocal weather data
The hyperlocal weather information produced by the Vaisala Beacon weather stations can be used by all port operators with an application developed by Unikie, either on a computer browser or a smart device via a mobile application.
Hyperlocal weather data is integrated with the port operational information. By utilizing machine learning, the collected data can be used to make recommendations for action, and thus to be better prepared for possible hazards or delays.
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Source: ship insight
