Projects

The Fremantle container port is the largest of its kind in Western Australia and is vital for the import and export of goods to Perth and the south west region.

Patricks Stevedores operate a large portion of the container port and have a fleet of container cranes to load and unload ships quickly and efficiently. These cranes are connected to the port’s ICT network via an extensive fibre optic network that Lightspeed Communications have expanded and modernized over numerous years.

As part of works to modernize the port’s infrastructure there was need to move cranes and their associated cabling connections. Lightspeed were engaged to connect the cranes trailing cable within under dock jointing locations. This involved working with the high voltage cable jointing team as the fibre optic cable connects as part of the cranes power supply system.

Being an active port these works were required to be completed as quickly as possible to not delay the port’s operations . As part of this project it was found that there was damage within the crane’s fibre optic rotary joint which winds and unwinds the cable as the crane travels whilst unloading. Lightspeed technicians were able to locate undamaged fibre optic cores within the cable and reconnect the crane to not disrupt port operations.

Having the vast experience of Lightspeed’s on site technical team enabled them to locate the faults quickly, liaise with the client clearly and concisely, and then find and implement a workaround with minimal disruption.