Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha becomes Nokia FAN for green transport

Integrated logistics company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has selected Nokia to deliver a 4G/LTE field area network (FAN) solution for its latest liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled car carrier Century Highway Green, with the aim of advancing car carrier vessel digital transformation.

The K Line Group owns and operates various fleets tailored to worldwide marine transportation needs, including land transportation and warehousing businesses. K Line has also been actively expanding its business activities since its establishment in 1919, and says its mission is to strengthen and accelerate safety, environmental and quality initiatives, as well as boost its technical and sales capabilities to overcome the changing conditions.

On 12 March, the line had Century Highway Green delivered to it from Tadotsu Shipyard, part of the Imabari Shipbuilding Group. The ship is a next-generation environmentally friendly vessel designed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon dioxide (CO2) by 25% to 30% (*1), emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), which cause air pollution, by almost 100%, and emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 80% to 90%.

These reductions will be achieved through the use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in addition to the use of LNG fuel, compared with conventional vessels using heavy fuel oil. The shipping line says the launch of its first LNG fuelled car carrier, realising transportation with a low environmental impact, is an important milestone in achieving the targets set in its environmental vision.

In its efforts to improve environmental safety and quality, the vessel also uses a variety of digital technologies such as the Nokia IP/MPLS-based network which is claimed to be able to provide K Line with a FAN environment that delivers high-speed, secure, encrypted wireless communications between ship and shore.

It is designed to enable the application of a range of efficient digital services, such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) and high-speed data transfer for remote monitoring of onload/offload work and remote visual inspection of machinery when the vessel is in port in Japan or overseas.

The solution comprises the Nokia 7705 SAR-Hm LTE router for on-board installation, as well as the Nokia 7705 SAR-8 for use onshore. This router pairing supports video and data transfer from the ship’s onboard CCTV and IT systems over LTE connections when in port.

This FAN solution is also intended to enable K Line to monitor loading and unloading closely and in real time, and to reduce time needed for large file exchange during port calls. All data is protected by Nokia’s Network Group Encryption (NGE). This encrypted communication technology is said to protect MPLS services with minimal overhead and ensures a high level of security and quality of service without any degradation of LTE link performance.

Domestic communication lines will be provided by leading Japanese operator KDDI Corporation and the system integration will be provided by KCCS Mobile Engineering.

“Working with Nokia, we plan to accelerate the development and utilisation of advanced digital technologies that enable safer, world-class shipping services,” said Hiroshi Uchida, head of the artificial intelligence digitisation strategy group at K Line, explaining the scope of the deployment.

“With the Nokia 4G/LTE network, we will be able to communicate more effectively during berthing, using the same sophisticated technology as available on land. This creates the capability to deliver improved operational performance, skills transfer and safety management.”

“Through deployment of the field area network, we’re helping K Line not only to enhance operational efficiency and industrial safety but also to advance its digital transformation Janssens,” added Donny Janssens, head of customer team, Nokia Enterprise Japan.

“This is the first Nokia 4G/LTE FAN deployment in Japan, bringing it to a new market following its successful deployment in mining sites, electric grids and ports worldwide.”