Axis IP video surveillance solutions protect the operations of the Las Palmas Port Authority.
A Service Coordination Center with greater definition and control.
Mission
The Las Palmas Port Authority (Autoridad Portuaria de las Palmas, APLP) is a government office within the State Ports (Ministry of Development), which manages five general-purpose ports in the province of Las Palmas, Canary Islands: La Luz and Las Palmas, Arinaga, and Salinetas (Grand Canary). Arrecife (Lanzarote), and Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura).
Thanks to their strategic position in the Middle Atlantic, these ports are noteworthy as an enclave for connections between Europe, Africa, and America. They serve as logistics platforms for international sea routes, a base for national and international fishing fleets, stations for fuel bunkering and container transshipment, leaders in the cruise sector, an international regatta center, and strategic points for the distribution of humanitarian aid under the United Nations World Food Program.
Solution
APLP has installed 82 new Axis network surveillance cameras. The newly installed cameras models include AXIS M5525–E PTZ for indoor and outdoor use, offering 10x zoom, and AXIS Q6155-E PTZ, high-speed cameras with instant laser focusing capabilities. In addition, Las Palmas Port has incorporated AXIS T8310 Video Surveillance Control Board for professional management of its cameras and videos.
Result
The control and monitoring network covers a total of 144 Axis cameras, allowing the Service Coordination Center of Las Palmas to perform the functions entrusted to it to full satisfaction, such as controlling maritime traffic, managing nautical technical port services for pilotage, towing, and mooring, and the coordination tasks for maritime or land emergencies, among others. These cameras have been installed by Gemed Soluciones, which was also responsible for providing the necessary training to the Port Police, as well as to the staff of the Department of New Technologies and the Las Palmas Port Services Coordination Center.
Improving service quality
The continuous movement of ships in the ports of Las Palmas, and the hectic activity that it entails, requires efficient management of video surveillance and a solution that provides the necessary intelligence for continuous monitoring and automation to enable early detection of security incidents and minimize their possible impacts.
In recent years, APLP has been carrying out a series of reforms and improvements in order to increase its activity and its importance. The sports dock at the La Luz port in Grand Canary has installed a new active fire protection network. La Luz port is the leader in Spain in supplying fuel to ships and is known as the “gas station of the Atlantic.” Looking ahead, work is already being done on facilities and means for the supply of Liquefied Natural Gas to ships. As for the cruise ship market, projects have been launched to increase the berthing line at the Passenger Dock and for the construction of a new cruise ship station.
APLP already had a video camera and video management system for monitoring port operation that includes both analog and digital cameras from various manufacturers, some of which did not meet current administrative needs. To continue improving the quality of the services it provides to the different companies and operators that work in the port areas, with more effective and updated security measures, APLP held a tender for the supply, installation, standardization, optimization, and maintenance of the port’s CCTV tele-production.
Through this tender APLP sought to enhance the system technologically and functionally, adding capabilities that would allow efficient and speedy management of both live and recorded video. To use all the features available in the cameras, they also sought to standardize the entire video surveillance system using products from the same manufacturer, so that there would be no problems in communicating between the cameras and the video management software to allow it to take full advantage of its features.
APLP also sought to design a standardized multi-location solution that would allow integration of all the systems at the five ports. Another key objective that APLP sought to achieve through this project was to simplify the processes and increase the effectiveness of its surveillance network, taking advantage of a whole series of new functional values contributed by the technological improvements now available.
These include:
> Automation of processes to the maximum level of process automation, minimizing human error or the lack of operator attention, creating warnings and alarms and capturing their attention in preprogrammed events when these happen.
> Fast and efficient review and search in recorded video or events so they can be exported to external recording media with the minimum possible time of intervention by the operator.
> Notable improvement in image quality, even in adverse lighting situations.
> Increase in the security levels for the entire system by implementing every possible protocol, at both the software and hardware levels, to prevent unauthorized access.
> Implement vandalism detection systems.
> Capture images that are always in focus, under any lighting situation. The system’s installation and maintenance must be guaranteed by the equipment manufacturer.
Thus, with an eye to sustaining the APLP’s objectives over the long term, the approach to the project needed to focus on “total cost of ownership,” taking into account not only the initial price of the cameras but also the entire cost associated with the system.”
Cutting-edge technologies
APLP’s previous experience with Axis provided security and confidence. Axis was the chosen solution for many reasons, including the overall Axis experience—the robustness and technical quality of the solutions, its ability to integrate with other manufacturers, its durability, reliability, and ease of use—along with its commitment to sustainability (such as being PVC free), its competitive price, and the experience and professionalism of Gemed Soluciones, the local partner.
The new Axis video surveillance cameras have better image parameters, compression, color, brightness, sharpness, white balance, exposure control, and exposure area, and offer wide dynamic range technology with forensic capture.
AXIS M5525-E PTZ Network Camera is a compact camera that offers horizontal/vertical movement and zoom at HDTV 1080p resolution, 10x optical zoom, and autofocus, which guarantees exceptional video quality for general and detailed surveillance. Its day/night functionality and WDR - Forensic Capture guarantee image quality that is maintained in poor or mixed lighting conditions. Scene profiles are included for automatic optimization. AXIS M5525-E is compatible with any Axis PTZ mount for outdoor installation, although it can also be mounted indoors.
AXIS Q6155-E Network Camera, a compact camera that is designed for use outdoors, includes an integrated laser that provides instant focus under difficult lighting conditions and in absolute darkness. It provides the best quality 1080p HDTV video at 25/30 images per second, with 30x optical zoom. Axis Lightfinder and Sharpdome technologies offer full-scene fidelity and perfect image quality in all directions, even in low light conditions. Axis Zipstream technology significantly reduces bandwidth and storage requirements.
Its precision and speedy horizontal movement facilitate changes in viewing position and tracking of fastmoving objects. In addition, these cameras feature the Axis Speed Dry function, which quickly removes water droplets from the dome glass to provide crisp images even under rain conditions, which is essential in places with high humidity levels, such as ports and coastal environments.
With all these updates, the port now has better control and management in all regards. We are very happy.
AXIS T8310 Video Surveillance Control Board is a modular system with three independent units: joystick, numeric keypad, and sequential control knob. The modular system allows the user to choose the simplest solution (for example, using only the joystick) or a complete solution that integrates all three modules to manage both the camera and the video.
AXIS T8311 Video Surveillance Joystick allows efficient and precise control of all Axis PTZ network and PTZ dome network cameras. With AXIS T8312 Video Surveillance Keypad, APLP staff can quickly navigate between the different workspaces, cameras, views, and PTZ presets. AXIS T8313 Video Surveillance Jog Dial is used to navigate through recorded video.
More competitive thanks to security
Every day, the ports of the Canary Islands are buzzing with economic activity. Las Palmas Port is a city unto itself. Surveillance and security is a key element in port management. All port users, including shipping companies, exporters, importers, and passengers, require protection, control, and monitoring 24 hours a day.
Thanks to Axis, the APLP now has a modern passwordprotected security system that allows security rounds, video recording with local storage, day/night image capture, and video memory before and after any alarm. APLP records continuously for up to 24 hours a day and has a capacity of up to 30 days of storage at maximum resolution.
With modern Axis high-resolution IP camera technology, intruders can be detected and identified even at great distances. The cameras can automatically track people and vehicles. In addition, thanks to the software used, APLP can establish a series of alerts that quickly notify the control rooms and allow staff to act appropriately by sending a security patrol or notifying the police, in addition to facilitating recording for subsequent analysis and—when necessary—for use as evidence in case of trial.
The Axis solution is efficient in all types of situations, from vandalism to terrorism, all at a reasonable cost, which is also essential to improving competitiveness against other ports. Axis has met all of APLP’s expectations. The images offer improved resolution and quality, the entire security system is much easier to manage, and, from an economic point of view, maintenance costs are dramatically reduced thanks to equipment upgrades, improvements technology, and a reduced number of suppliers.
Cybersecurity
The activity that takes place at the various ports that the Port Authority of Las Palmas administers creates high demands in terms of security. That’s why cybersecurity is necessarily a critical aspect to consider for any system to be implemented for its infrastructure. From the beginning, the Axis/Gemed Soluciones partnership opted for cybersecurity as a top-priority aspect in all phases of project development.
All Axis products offer a guarantee of security, from the design phase of its devices to the long-term support for the firmware in order to keep the software’s cybersecurity updated. Gemed Soluciones, a company specializing in cybersecurity and information security, designs the implementation of its systems keeping cybersecurity at the forefront as an uncompromizable commitment.
