Indonesian shipping company, Meratus, has launched the SMARCO-Smart Container to meet the demand for more efficient and safe container shipping.
With advanced Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, GPS tracking, and cloud-based technologies, SMARCO is expected to provide businesses the possibility to have full visibility and control over shipping containers, according to the company.
SMARCO’s security system can reportedly detect any unauthorised seal breaking, preventing possible theft or illegal smuggling.
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This technology is the first in the shipping industry in Indonesia, Meratus reported.
Meratus added that all of the advanced features possessed by SMARCO are inseparable from a small device embedded in a container.
This device has a solar panel battery charging feature so that it is more energy efficient with a battery life of up to 10 years.
In addition, the sensors adopted include vibration, movement, and speed sensors combined with GPS technology.
The resulting data is also equipped with data encryption to optimise security and fast network registration to thus ensure the safety and efficiency of customer container shipments.
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“SMARCO is Meratus’ new innovation that allows our customers to have full visibility over the entire container shipping process,” said Farid Belbouab, CEO of Meratus.
“With real-time information, our customers can easily track their containers both onshore and at sea.
“The information available at SMARCO can also be used to analyse operational cost savings and a better security system.”
According to Drewry analysis, the global smart container equipment fleet was forecast to grow eight-fold over the next five years and account for 25 per cent of global box inventories by 2026.
In August 2022, Hapag-Lloyd started rolling out real-time tracking devices on its dry container fleet to offer visibility and boost transparency across the supply chain.
