MasOrange said that the deployment of this 5G virtual private network will require a total investment of 3.6 million euros over the next five years

The new private 5G Standalone (SA) network deployed at the Port of Barcelona, Spain by Spanish telecom group MasOrange is now operational, the latter said in a release.

In July of last year, Orange said it has developed a 5G SA virtual private network for the port of Barcelona, with the aim of offering advanced mobility service to the entire port area and its users.

The Spanish carrier said that the deployment of the 5G virtual private network will require a total investment of 3.6 million euros (currently $3.9 million) over the next five years. Orange noted that the project required the addition of 5G SA architecture to existing network infrastructure at the port. 

The private network aims to provide ultra-low latency that allows operations that require great precision, such as driving cranes or other machinery.

The new infrastructure will also provide the necessary capacity and scalability for the massive connection of sensors and devices, facilitating the real-time location of ships, merchandise and other assets, as well as offering voice and data services for companies and port users, according to the Spanish carrier.

MasOrange also noted that some of the immediate benefits offered by this new infrastructure are the availability of a support network in the event of a failure of the main system in critical facilities of the port, or the possibility of installing cameras and sensors quickly and efficiently in areas without fiber access.

The 5G SA deployment covers the entire area of the port of Barcelona and extends for two nautical miles around the port, the carrier added.

The port police and the various security and emergency bodies with a presence in the port of Barcelona are also expected to benefit from the new network. MasOrange noted that the high capacity and reliability of the network will allow the unification of the terminals with which the agents communicate with each other and receive real-time information from the more than 400 CTTV cameras distributed throughout the port area, as well as coordinate with aerial surveillance drones also connected to the 5G network.

“The deployment of this new 5G SA network is a pioneering project in Europe and will make the Port of Barcelona a more efficient and innovative infrastructure, putting the necessary technology at the service of its clients,” said Lluís Salvadó, president of the port of Barcelona. “The use cases we have seen today are just one example of the potential of 5G technology. We are convinced that thanks to the collaboration of the companies of the Port Community and the members of the innovative ecosystem of the Port of Barcelona, we will soon be able to see many more applications,” he added.

In April, MasOrange—Spain’s largest mobile operator as a result of the merger between local carriers Orange Spain and Masmovil—announced plans to invest 4 billion euros in the European country within the next three years.

The new entity said that the investment will be chiefly oriented for the deployment of 5G and fiber optic networks as well as new services.

The 50-50 joint venture, which currently has over 30 million mobile customers, said it expects to generate synergies of more than 490 million euros per year by the fourth year of the transaction’s closure.