Port Operations Transformed: Integra's Comprehensive Connectivity Solution for Seacon

Company

Seacon Group

Industry

Shipping | Logistics

Location

Ports Nationwide

Website

seacongroup.co.uk

Description

Founded in 1955, Seacon Group offers door-to-door transport solutions specialising in neo-bulk cargoes including steel, metals and forest products, operating specialist handling facilities and ships at multiple ports nationwide, including Port of Tilbury.

The Challenge: Scaling Connectivity Across a Major Port Transformation

Seacon Group's operations at Port of Tilbury underwent significant expansion when the port authority assumed operations of part of their primary facility. Seacon relocated their cargo handling operations to a 230-meter by 40-meter warehouse while maintaining their offices in the original portacabin location. This meant establishing reliable, high-speed connectivity across a sprawling industrial site — connecting offices to the warehouse, enabling real-time inventory tracking, coordinating logistics operations, and maintaining security surveillance across the entire facility.

The challenge was multifaceted. Fibre connectivity to the new warehouse was not available from the port authority's infrastructure, and traditional fibre installation would have required months of planning and substantial construction costs. The site demanded comprehensive coverage: wireless connectivity across the massive warehouse floor for mobile operations, secure point-to-point links between buildings for critical systems, and full CCTV surveillance covering all warehouse entries, internal aisles, and office perimeters.

Additionally, Seacon needed to extend connectivity to other port locations that similarly lacked fibre availability — requiring a solution that could scale across multiple sites without the constraints of traditional infrastructure deployments.

Designing a Complete Connectivity Ecosystem

Seacon required more than just internet connectivity — they needed a comprehensive infrastructure supporting operations, security, and mobility. The solution had to support continuous port operations without disruption, handle demanding real-time applications across multiple locations, and provide the security monitoring essential for modern logistics.

The scale was significant: 230 meters of warehouse coverage, equipment spread across multiple buildings, comprehensive camera systems, and the need to maintain reliable connections across sites without dedicated fibre infrastructure. Speed of deployment was critical — every day of delayed connectivity affected cargo handling operations and logistics coordination.

The Solution: Integrated Infrastructure for Enterprise Port Operations

Integra deployed a comprehensive, multi-layered solution combining primary connectivity, wireless infrastructure, and security systems into a single managed ecosystem. The architecture was engineered to overcome the absence of fibre infrastructure while delivering enterprise-grade reliability.

SD-WAN formed the backbone, providing primary connectivity to Seacon's offices and extending to other port locations that similarly lacked fibre availability. To bridge the gap between the relocated warehouse and the office portacabin, Integra implemented a high-capacity V Band point-to-point wireless link with clear line-of-sight between buildings. This dedicated link carried critical systems traffic with VLAN segmentation, ensuring that both Seacon and visiting logistics partners maintained secure, isolated network connections. Intelligent switches at each end managed traffic efficiently, maintaining the performance standards required for real-time operations.

For warehouse operations, Integra designed a comprehensive WiFi infrastructure spanning the entire 230-meter facility. The system included 14 internal access points and 2 external APs, all professionally cabled to two redundant switch cabinets utilizing approximately 800 meters of commercial-grade Ethernet cabling. This distributed architecture ensured consistent coverage across the warehouse floor, enabling mobile operations, equipment tracking, and real-time inventory management without connectivity gaps.

Security surveillance was equally comprehensive. A full CCTV system provided coverage of all four warehouse entries—both internal and external views—main internal aisles, and office perimeters. High-quality varifocal cameras with infrared capability enabled clear monitoring in all lighting conditions, while a 16-channel digital video recorder with approximately 550 meters of external-grade Ethernet cabling ensured reliable, persistent recording of all facility access points. All systems were professionally integrated and centrally managed, delivering the persistent security oversight essential for modern port logistics operations.