Port Authority

May 1, 2007 12:00 PM

           

Establishing reliable security systems at the nation's ports is not an easy task. Significant challenges pertaining to both the port's physical location and set up, as well as access to security data from remote locations, can complicate the installation and operation of security systems.

The Port of Greater Baton Rouge in Louisiana, one of the top 10 ports in the United States and ranked 32nd in the world in total annual tonnage, faced these problems when it recently looked to update its own security system. Situated 230 miles from the Gulf of Mexico on the Mississippi River and the U.S. Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, it covers multiple facilities that span 85 miles of the Mississippi River and encompasses Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville and West Baton Rouge Parishes in its Port jurisdiction.

Officials from the Port of Greater Baton Rouge hired local systems integrator Vanguard Technologies Inc. to provide a solution that would conquer the logisitical issues of the port's main Mississippi River Terminal and Inland Rivers Terminal. Due to the distance between locations, Vanguard Technologies recommended a hybrid wireless-based IP communication and fiber-based system.

To meet these equipment needs, the company turned to Bosch Security Systems, Fairport, N.Y.

“We were working within some very specific restraints, namely to provide a cost-effective system that would allow key personnel access to security data from a number of locations. There are two separate terminals — the main Mississippi River Terminal and the Inland Rivers Terminal — that needed to be connected via a network,” says Jerry Jones, president of Vanguard Technologies. “By using video over IP-enabled equipment from Bosch, we were able to provide a reliable, cost-effective video surveillance system. That solution features live video over an IP network, data access to all field devices and remote power management tools that enable port executives and facility security officers to manage the installed devices from the internal network or through secured Internet access.”

The installation is comprised of more than 50 fixed and PTZ cameras, with Bosch VideoJet MPEG-4 Encoders strategically located throughout each location. Connectivity to the cameras and Bosch encoders were provided via an IP network including both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint wireless devices, as well as more than a mile of multi-mode fiber optic cable. The MPEG-4 solution enabled the port to manage bandwidth across a large IP network.

The system uses long distance video data packet transfer to address distance, terrain and logistics without compromising data integrity or security. It also provides the capability to archive video data for retrieval in the future. Another important feature is the ability to continuously monitor security devices and network links via powerful network monitoring tools to ensure round-the-clock uptime as well as fast problem resolution. The result is that each authorized operator has instant access to live video from all cameras, as well as any new camera that may be added to the system. The archived video is stored centrally on four Network Video Recorders (NVRs) utilizing several terabytes of fault-tolerant RAID 5 storage.

Vanguard Technologies also installed Bosch's VIDOS Video Management System to provide the Port of Greater Baton Rouge with video surveillance, security and alarm management software capability. The solution offers site map graphics, video play back and a range of other CCTV functions.

By implementing a complete security solution from Bosch Security Systems, personnel at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge now have a complete picture of the port's facilities, data sharing and access capabilities.

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