CentrePort’s private 5G network will be an innovative first

From my home office overlooking Wellington harbour, I have a clear view of CentrePort, one of the country’s busiest ports and the key hub for marine traffic across Cook Strait.

It’s a sprawling area of reclaimed land where container ships and bulk carriers are docked on any given day, where Bluebridge and Interislander ferries come and go, and neat piles of logs destined for export sit ready to be loaded onto ships.

The entire port area is set to be blanketed in 5G coverage later this year as CentrePort and Māori-run communications provider Tū Ātea team up to build what will likely be the country’s first private 5G network.

Set to go live in the third quarter of 2025, the network will provide dedicated, high-speed connectivity across port operations. Initially, high-speed connections to dozens of tablet devices used in vehicles and cranes help manage and process typically 4 million tonnes in freight each year. 

But the network will also underpin innovative converged solutions that will boost productivity and security at the port while bolstering health and safety efforts, CentrePort pointed out. 

The network will comprise several 5G high-power radio transceivers and antennas deployed on CentrePort’s existing light-pole infrastructure, connected over a fibre optic network to Tū Ātea’s state-of-the-art-Converged (4G & 5G capable) Packet Core. The network uses dedicated 5G radio spectrum Tū Ātea has rights to as part of a deal with the government put in place in 2023 and aimed at allowing Māori to participate in the telecommunications industry and benefit from wireless technologies.

“It means we can provide 5G network slicing to CentrePort, which is a game changer when it comes to offering dedicated wireless capacity for mission-critical operations,” says Antony Royal, Tū Ātea’s Chief Executive Officer.

Network slicing employed

5G network slicing creates multiple virtual networks within a single physical 5G network. Each "slice" can be customised to meet specific use cases with different latency or throughput requirements, allowing various services to run more efficiently and securely on the same network infrastructure.

Ports have been early adopters overseas of private 5G networks, especially those automating crane operations and seeking low-latency connectivity for responsive control.

But everything from CCTV cameras, to Internet of Things sensors are also being connected over 5G. The Port of Tacoma in Washington claims to have achieved a 10x coverage advantage and a 500% increase in available bandwidth over traditional Wi-Fi networks that were employed at the port.

“The enhanced security features of these networks, including robust encryption and access control, safeguard sensitive information like cargo manifests and financial transactions, addressing the ever-growing concerns of cybersecurity in the maritime sector,” RCR Wireless reported.

CentrePort’s network will go live in the third quarter of 2025. CentrePort will be able to sidestep congestion on public mobile networks and its own Wi-fi network, using Tū Ātea’s ‘Network-as-a-Service’ offering, which runs over its 5G spectrum.

“Our port is a dynamic environment where reliable and fast communication is vital for the safety of our staff and the overall efficiency of the port,” says Anthony Delaney, CentrePort’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Coverage can be tricky due to large ships and container stacks blocking radio signals. This Private 5G network will be optimised to overcome that and will underpin converged smart network features we are planning,” added Delaney.

While the benefits of network slicing and having dedicated high-speed wireless connectivity on tap are well understood, private 5G networks have been slow to come to market in many countries due to a lack of access to sufficient 5G spectrum. Tū Ātea is able to overcome that challenge with access to 100 MHz of 5G spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band.

But a key driver is also the automation of factories, ports, and other large facilities, where efficiencies can be gained from connecting via a dedicated, highly secure 5G network.

Tū Ātea has partnered with Mavenir, a US company that makes equipment to run 4G and 5G private networks. 

“With our spectrum resources, technology and expertise, we see this as an opportunity to partner with existing mobile network operators to bolster their offerings in the enterprise space,” says Royal.

“From seaports and airports to manufacturing plants and stadiums, Private 5G networks will power industry 4.0 solutions and underpin innovative new services. We want all New Zealanders to benefit from the pioneering work Tū Ātea is undertaking with customers like CentrePort.”