A study of RFID adoption for vehicle tracking in a container terminal
Abstract: Numerous studies
discuss that Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology can provide better
container handling efficiency; however, relative lack of research concerns the
tracking and monitoring the movement of vehicle in the container terminal
environment. Thus, this study aims at discussing the feasibility of applying
RFID for vehicle tracking purpose in a container terminal.
Design/methodology/approach: This study makes use of a series of
experiments in a container terminal to discuss the factors that affect the use
of RFID in the terminal. The possibility and accuracy of using RFID in such
challenging environment is also investigated. These propositions are
investigated by a case study.
Findings: The experimental results indicate that the RFID communication
is good at the containers area which occupies nearly all the area in the
container terminal. However, in other area such as sea side and free area, the
performance is not good and 100% readability only achieved in 5m and 10m in
free area and sea side respectively.
Originality/value: The container terminal environment, which consists of
different transport vehicles for onward transportation, will affect the
performance of RFID readability. Poor setup of the RFID reader and tag will
lower the feasibility of RFID adoption as well as increase the cost. In order
to address the challenges of implementing RFID in the container terminal
environment, this paper provides a series of real site testing experiments to
study the RFID performance in the container terminal environment. This
represents an original contribution of value to future research and practice in
the RFID adoptions in container terminal environment.
Keywords: case study;
container terminal; radio frequency identification (RFID); vehicle tracking
system
Author: S.L. Ting, L.X. Wang,
W.H. Ip
Journal Code: jptindustrigg120016
