LVR Flote and LMT collaborative initiative, Seamless 5G Connectivity in the Baltic Sea, has been selected as one of the three Digitalization category finalists of the prestigious #IAPH2024 Sustainability Awards. This year, the Award received 71 submissions, with 18 finalists in six categories selected
The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) Sustainability Awards recognize outstanding port sustainability projects worldwide. It honors submissions to the World Ports Sustainability Program database, a global resource for port sustainability efforts. A jury selects the top three projects in six categories: Digitalization, Infrastructure, Health Safety & Security, Environmental Care, Community Building, and Climate & Energy.
The public vote is open, and anyone can vote for the most innovative project in the six categories. To vote for LMT and LVR Flote’s initiative, go to this page and submit your choice from each category. LMT and LVR Flote’s initiative can be found in the Digitalization category under the name “Port of Riga – Seamless 5G Connectivity in the Baltic Sea”.
The public vote will remain open until September 13 at midnight, and its outcomes will contribute (30%) to the definition of the final winners, together with the initial evaluations (70%) by the Award’s jury of experts. The final winners will be announced in Hamburg on October 9.
LMT and LVR Flote’s initiative is a cross-industrial collaboration to enhance maritime communications by ensuring 5G connectivity over open waters. It addresses the need for real-time, high-capacity data exchange in maritime operations to improve industry efficiency, reduce environmental impact, unlock new use cases, and more. The project develops the multi-hop concept – the 5G network signal is passed on from one ship to the next, enabling shore-to-ship and ship-to-ship communication. This will create a maritime infrastructure for deploying autonomous ships, USV drones, and other innovations.
The multi-hop concept was first successfully tested in November 2023 in the Port of Riga on board LVR Flote’s ship LĪVA – the first 5G technology-equipped ship in the Baltic Sea. In July 2024, a fully-functioning concept was successfully demonstrated to international partners, presenting the Riga port’s testbed opportunities and using the open ecosystem led by LMT and LVR Flote. More tests are run to determine how far a signal can travel over water to clarify the required vessel density at sea and ensure seamless 5G coverage.
