Hapag-Lloyd introduces container monitoring program

   Hapag-Lloyd said Tuesday that it will offer a service called Hapag-Lloyd LIVE  that will monitor its reefer containers and provide information such as real-time location, temperature and power-off alerts.
   The carrier said it initially will equip the company’s entire reefer fleet of some 100,000 containers with monitoring equipment and upon request it may equip some dry containers with the monitoring equipment.
   “We are starting to equip our 100,000-strong reefer fleet now. Depending on the progress and general reefer fleet growth in future years, we estimate to have 100% fleet coverage by end of 2021,” a spokesman said.
   The service will use the Internet of Things — or IoT technology — and has been developed by Globe Tracker, a leading supplier of supply chain visibility solutions. T-Mobile Austria as part of Deutsche Telekom Group and Ericsson also will be supporting this project by providing global connectivity and IoT infrastructure that integrates into existing Hapag-Lloyd software and services. 
   Pricing for Hapag-Lloyd LIVE products and services “will depend on the level of value created for the customer. Since the Hapag-Lloyd LIVE products have not yet been fully defined, a decision has not been taken regarding what the pricing will look like,” the spokesman said.
   “Containers on board the ships will continue to be monitored as they are today. Once the ship is in network range, the data collected on the container will be back-loaded and made available online.”
   Hapag-Lloyd said it will “provide 24/7 monitoring in hub locations and during inland transport. The GPS unit is connected to the reefer control panel, allowing for detailed monitoring of supply and return air. All other important parameters like temperature, ventilation, cold treatment and other details are transmitted in real time to our 24-hour response team.
    “Any deviation or alert will be handled by dedicated experts. If needed, even set temperatures and other parameters can be amended during transport by the remote control system after consultation with the customer,” it said.
    Target commodities for the service include high-value cargo such as pharmaceuticals, cold treatment cargo and sensitive cargo such as  chilled meat, but the company said it will work with all customers to develop the Hapag-Lloyd LIVE product suite.