Babbler requires no installation in the fabric of a truck or container and enables the integrity of the shipment to be monitored online via a smartphone app. The seal is broken if Babbler’s sensors detect light. Both the seal status and the temperature of the cargo can be inspected wirelessly via Bluetooth or a long-range radio option, LoRa. The LoRa network for Internet of Things applications is now widely available across Europe and enables customs authorities to access the Babbler log some hours before a vessel berths.
Roel Huiden, supply chain consultant at FloraHolland, who initially tested the new device, comments: “Flowers must be kept at 0.5ºC to maintain quality, but when a container is opened, the temperature inside rises. Avoiding unnecessary inspections preserves freshness, as well as speeding up delivery. But the price of protection is critical in this market. Costly security devices available to shippers of high-value cargoes are simply not an option. For low-value goods, especially those that spoil easily, Babbler offers protection at an affordable price.”
source: maritime-executive.com