Port Safety Down to the Centimeter: LG Uplus Introduces High-Precision Control System

AI Safety Management System with High-Precision Positioning Established at Busan New Port Pier 5
RTK-Based Control to Be Applied to 70 Pieces of Equipment in the Second Half of the Year

LG Uplus is establishing an AI safety management system based on Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) high-precision positioning to enhance the safety of port workers at Busan New Port Pier 5. The photo shows an RTK terminal installed on a port crane located at Busan New Port Pier 5. Photo by LG Uplus

On January 22, LG Uplus announced that it will establish an artificial intelligence (AI) safety management system based on Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) high-precision positioning to enhance the safety of port workers at Busan New Port Pier 5.

LG Uplus stated that, in collaboration with BNCT, the operator of Busan New Port Pier 5, and CyberLogitec, a maritime and port IT specialist, it will build an AI safety management system that enables real-time tracking of the locations of mobile equipment and workers within the port. This system combines RTK with AI-based CCTV analysis to provide immediate alerts to workers, equipment, and the control center whenever a hazard is detected.

The technological foundation of this system addresses the limitations of conventional Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Standard GNSS can have a positioning error of up to 15 meters, making precise monitoring difficult in environments like ports where large equipment is densely concentrated. Given that cranes and straddle carriers move frequently and container stacking limits visibility, precise location recognition is considered essential for preventing safety accidents.

LG Uplus applied the RTK method, which integrates ground reference stations with dedicated terminals to provide real-time correction data for positioning. In demonstration tests conducted last year, the company succeeded in tracking the location of straddle carriers within the port with an accuracy of 1 to 2 centimeters, and also implemented an automatic alert system based on the distance between workers and equipment.

In particular, the company has established a system that transmits correction data generated by approximately 200 ground reference stations nationwide through its own communications infrastructure 24/7, thereby ensuring the reliability and stability of the location information.

Based on these demonstration results, the three companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in December last year to establish an AI-based port safety management system. By the second half of this year, they plan to apply the RTK-based control system to approximately 70 mobile pieces of equipment currently in operation at Busan New Port Pier 5. They are also considering expanding the system to other piers within Busan New Port in the future.

Bae Junhyeong, head of the Mobility Business Task Force at LG Uplus, stated, "By combining RTK-based high-precision positioning with AI technology, we have elevated the safety standards of the port working environment," adding, "We will contribute to creating a safer port through advanced technology."