An AI-driven Video Monitoring Solution to Enhance Efficiency in Managing Shipping Traffic

Summary:

The AI-based video security system employs advanced analytics to detect anomalies, ensure coastal surveillance and provide real-time insights for better decision-making.

Client: 

The City of the Hague, the Netherlands.

Problem Statement: 

The port of Scheveningen control center faced challenges in monitoring vast shipping traffic due to the limitations of traditional surveillance systems. 

Staff at the port control center were required to monitor shipping traffic continuously by observing the harbor through the control center windows and manually logging the approximately 80 vessels that navigated through the port each day.

The project had highly specific requirements, as the port needed an AI capable of recognizing and categorizing various types of vessels, including passenger ships, cargo freighters, sailing yachts, and inflatable boats.

Results: 

• Reduced manual monitoring efforts.
• Provided a centralized dashboard for complete oversight of shipping traffic and port activities.
• Identified more quickly and effectively suspicious and unusual situations.
• Lowered operational expenses.

AI Solution Overview:

The development, planning, and implementation of an AI system capable of identifying and classifying all types of ships were completed in just 12 months. Two smart video cameras installed at the harbor entrance now monitor vessel traffic. The custom-designed AI categorizes ship types and records them in a database.

To handle the challenging lighting conditions at the port, Bosch’s Flexidome IP starlight 8000i cameras were selected. These cameras capture detailed images even in poor weather or extreme lighting, allowing control center staff to clearly view all details, whether in very bright or dim areas of the image.

The AI operates continuously, recording, documenting, and storing all vessel identifiers. It automatically adds supplementary information, such as the date, time, direction of travel, and speed. The camera feeds are integrated into a video management system, where ships not immediately observed by on-duty staff appear as still images on the screen. By analyzing this data, insights such as peak traffic periods, vessel types, trends, and anomalies are identified.

This video solution is designed for scalability and can adapt to future needs. For instance, it can integrate additional data from external sources, such as meteorological conditions, tidal information, or the Automatic Identification System (AIS) for exchanging ship details.

References: 

1. Bosch Building Technologies: AI-based video solution for greater transparency and security when monitoring shipping traffic. https://www.sourcesecurity.com/tags/artificial-intelligence-ai/news/bosch-building-technologies-ai-based-video-co-11239-ga-co-1702466675-ga.1702467824.html

Industry: Coastal Surveillance 

Vendors: Bosch and BrainCreators

Client: City of The Hague, the Netherlands