Port of Tyne advances its vision for a green, smart port with investment in a private 5G network
Learn how Port of Tyne— one of the UK’s major deep-sea ports—is transforming the maritime industry by driving new levels of safety, efficiency and environmental sustainabililty with a site-wide private 5G wireless network, the first such deployment in the UK.
Highlights
— Matthew Beeton, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Tyne
The challenge
Port of Tyne is continually changing and reshaping as a port to support changing customer needs and to advance its decarbonization strategy, creating challenges such as:
- Reconfiguring the physical site multiple times per year
Trenching through concrete to lay cable is costly and inflexible—not feasible for a dynamic port environment. - Connecting actively moving assets like vehicles
Innovative use cases such as autonomous vehicles and automated container inspection are only possible with fast, reliable wireless connectivity. - Extending network connectivity to far reaches of the site
Port of Tyne’s site extends across both sides of the River Tyne, which is difficult to connect using traditional network technologies.

The solution
Port of Tyne partnered with BT to design and build a private 5G wireless network with site-wide coverage to support new port innovations. The solution includes:
Ericsson Private 5G (dual 4G/5G core)
- 4G 2600Mhz (15Mhz)
- 5G 3700Mhz (100Mhz)
- EP5G software
Ericsson Private 5G Radios
- 4419
- 4408
Spectrum
- BT-provided n77 and b7


Ashley Nicholson, Marine Director, Port of Tyne
— Ashley Nicholson, Marine Director, Port of Tyne
The result
By deploying a private 5G wireless network site-wide, Port of Tyne has a platform to build innovative use cases that will:
Improve safety and efficiency
With private 5G wireless connectivity, Port of Tyne will be able to use autonomous machines to perform tasks in dangerous environments, such as offloading containers from ships, and improve efficiency by optimizing resource utilization based on demand.
Drive an ambitious decarbonization strategy
By managing vehicles and equipment more efficiently with 5G-enabled automation and optimization, Port of Tyne can reduce carbon emissions to support its goal of being net zero by 2030.
Enable better decision making
Leveraging real-time data from across the site, Port of Tyne is able to pursue automation and gain real-time insights that enable data-driven decision making rather than relying just on instinct.
Strengthen site security
Smart surveillance using 5G-enabled CCTV coupled with AI, as well as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) for smart gate operations, Port of Tyne can proactively detect risks and ensure only authorized vehicles gain access to the site.
Establish Port of Tyne as a testbed for new innovations
Through its 2050 Maritime Innovation Hub, Port of Tyne provides an environment for other ports and industries to innovate with 5G-enabled technologies and bring new value-driven solutions to market across the UK and the world.

— John Goy, Smart Solutions Consultant, Surveillance and Smart Solutions, BT