Santos Port Authority Issues a Call Notice for Studies on the Internet of Things

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Consultant in Communication Law, with a focus on Technologies, Media, and Telecommunications.  Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP).

The Santos Port Authority has published a public call for donations of studies on the Internet of things.

The objective is to incorporate IoT technologies in the Port’s activities. The goal is to insert IoT in logistics processes, such as container control, monitoring, and control of time and access to equipment, and real-time data analysis using artificial intelligence. The idea is to install a public or shared IoT network between the Port management and the port terminal logistics operators.

The objectives are to seek efficiency, security, speed, precision, connectivity, and cost reduction, favoring business intelligence.  According to the public notice’s term of reference, the logistics operators are interested in adopting IoT sensors to monitor and control air humidity, elevators, temperature, proximity, speed, presence and monitoring of vacancies, environmental and gas leakage, fire, and rain detectors, equipment control, identification systems, movement detectors, and energy meters.  The Port Authority intends to develop partnerships with the private sector to promote innovation.

Thus, the public notice intends to obtain a study for the deployment of a LoRa (long-range) wireless network to allow for the use of IoT in the Port of Santos.  It is understood that this radio frequency technology can become efficient, precise, and safe for port activities. According to the notice, the study should cover: “market studies focusing on the demand for these services by Port users and related businesses in the regions covered by the LoRa network; engineering and related studies to determine the need for areas and infrastructure that need to be provided by the Port Authority for the installation of the LoRa network; identification of potential parties interested in installing a LoRa network in the region of the Organized Port Polygon; studies to determine the most appropriate legal framework to allow the operation of IoT services by third parties within the area of the Organized Port Polygon.

Furthermore, the study may also provide technical and regulatory alternatives to improve the efficiency in using IoT technology in the Port, focusing on economic and legal security in the partnership with the Public Administration. The public call is open to Brazilian and foreign individuals and businesses, individually or working in a consortium. The studies must be donated to the Santos Port Authority through the assignment of intellectual property rights.

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