Why Private 5G Matters for Safer Port Operations at Lyttelton Port
Ports are busy, noisy, and full of moving parts. They are also full of “connectivity traps”: stacked steel containers that block signals, heavy machinery that roams beyond Wi-Fi reach, and areas where fibre is either slow to extend or painful to justify.
That’s the situation at Lyttelton Port Company (LPC), New Zealand’s largest South Island port. In FY2025, LPC handled 434,000 containers, plus bulk cargo, cruise activity, and fuel operations.
To support safer and more reliable digital operations, LPC introduced a private 5G network, delivered with 2degrees and Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions. This is a practical move: get coverage where Wi-Fi struggles, keep performance consistent, and set up a platform for automation later.
Port Connectivity Challenges: Containers, Coverage Gaps, and Harsh Radio Conditions
LPC’s environment is a perfect storm for wireless planning:
- Hard radio conditions: The port is surrounded by volcanic rock, and stacked containers create a shielding effect that can weaken or block signals.
- Coverage gaps with Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi can be fine in offices and fixed areas. However, ports have large outdoor zones, moving vehicles, and “metal canyon” lanes between containers. The project specifically notes the need to reach areas Wi-Fi can’t.
- Fibre isn’t always practical: Extending fibre across a port can be slow, expensive, or impractical—especially when you need connectivity to moving assets, not just buildings.
- Operational reliability requirements: Ports need steady connectivity for safety alarms, job dispatch, and video feeds. If the network drops, operations don’t “pause politely.” They keep moving.
Private 5G Solution with 2degrees + Ericsson for Reliable Yard-Wide Coverage
LPC deployed a Private Networks solution using 5G to provide robust wireless coverage across the port. The design supports both day-to-day operational tools and safety-focused applications, including:
- Mobile asset tracking
- Tele-remote control of heavy machinery and vehicles
- Job dispatching
- Safety alarms
- Video streaming for safety and security
A key implementation detail: LPC uses rugged Ericsson Cradlepoint routers on straddle carriers. These routers use the private 5G network as the primary connection, with 2degrees’ public mobile network as a secondary backup for added resilience.
That “primary + backup” pattern is simple, but it’s also what keeps real operations calm when the environment gets unpredictable.
Operational Proof Points: Container Volume, Tele-Remote Use Cases, and Resilience Design
The public details point to clear operational drivers and tangible deployment choices:
- LPC’s scale is significant: 434,000 containers in FY2025, plus bulk, cruise, and fuel activities.
- The port environment is explicitly described as challenging due to volcanic rock and stacked-container shielding.
- The private 5G network is designed to support tele-remote control, safety alarms, and video streaming—use cases that demand stable performance.
- LPC uses Ericsson Cradlepoint routers on straddle carriers, with private 5G primary and public network backup.
- LPC is already planning next steps: connecting environmental sensors (wind and stormwater monitoring) and using drones that feed data into AI tools for inspections of containers, cranes, and pavements.
Why Private 5G Beats Port Wi-Fi and Fibre for Managed Mobility
LPC could have tried “more Wi-Fi” or “more fibre.” The issue is that ports don’t behave like office campuses:
- Wi-Fi struggles with wide outdoor coverage, interference, and roaming across large yards. Also, containers are basically signal “mood killers.”
- Fibre is excellent where it can be deployed, but it doesn’t directly solve connectivity for moving equipment and can be costly or slow to extend across complex terrain.
- Private 5G is built for managed mobility, predictable performance, and broader coverage. It also supports industrial use cases like remote operations and video-based monitoring.
This is why 5G Private Networks show up so often in industrial sites and Transportation-adjacent environments such as ports: the connectivity needs are operational, not just “nice to have.”
From a planning perspective, the resilience design is also notable. Using private 5G as the main link and the public mobile network as backup creates a practical safety net without building a second private network from scratch.
Private 5G Benefits: Safety Alarms, Video Reliability, and Automation Readiness
LPC’s expected benefits map directly to port realities:
- Improved safety: Better support for safety alarms and video feeds helps reduce response time and improves situational awareness.
- Higher operational reliability: LPC’s CIO highlighted the need for stronger performance so teams and equipment can work without interruption.
- Wider, more consistent coverage: The deployment targets areas Wi-Fi can’t reach and avoids some fibre expansion challenges.
- Readiness for automation: 2degrees described the network as a “foundation for the future” that opens the door to next-generation automation.
- A platform for IoT and inspections: Environmental sensing and drone inspections are natural next steps, especially when tied into IoT and AI workflows.
Security also sits quietly in the background of any port connectivity decision. A port is critical infrastructure, and improving coverage typically increases the number of connected endpoints. That makes Security and operational discipline (device management, segmentation, monitoring) part of the long-term value of private cellular.
What This Private 5G Port Deployment Signals for Supply Chain Resilience
This deployment matters beyond one port because it reflects what many industrial operators are dealing with:
- They need connectivity that supports mobile operations, not only fixed sites.
- They want predictable performance for video, dispatch, and remote operations.
- They are building toward automation, but they need a stable network before they can safely scale it.
In short: private 5G is being positioned as foundational infrastructure for modern industrial environments—especially where operations spread across a large outdoor footprint.
Also, ports are supply chain “pressure points.” Improving uptime and visibility can translate into smoother turnaround times and fewer workflow disruptions—benefits Ericsson specifically ties to efficiency and a more resilient supply chain.
LPC’s Digital Roadmap: Safety, Reliability, Sensors, and Drone Inspections
LPC defined the operational requirements and the “why” behind the project: safer operations, better connectivity, and resilience. LPC’s CIO, Jackie Dawson, emphasized the goal of making operations safer, more reliable, and better connected, while supporting long-term digital plans.
LPC is also shaping the roadmap. The port is looking to expand private 5G usage into environmental monitoring and drone-based inspections feeding into AI tools.
2degrees and Ericsson Roles: Deployment, Backup Connectivity, and Industrial 5G Expertise
2degrees: Implemented the Ericsson private 5G solution on-site and provided the public mobile network backup path. Andrew Fairgray (Chief Business Officer) positioned the project as a model that could encourage other New Zealand organisations to consider private 5G.
Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions: Provided the private 5G solution and highlighted the industrial value: ultra-reliable, low-latency connectivity to enable digitalisation, asset visibility, efficiency, and safer workflows.
Ericsson Cradlepoint: Rugged routers on straddle carriers help keep connectivity consistent for mobile operations.
Project Status: Private 5G Introduced and Active at Lyttelton Port
The private 5G network has been introduced and publicly announced (media release dated March 2, 2026). The port is actively using it for operational applications and planning expansion into sensors and drones.
- FY2025: LPC operational scale highlighted (434,000 containers handled), reinforcing the need for reliable connectivity.
- March 2, 2026: Private 5G network announced as introduced at LPC, delivered with 2degrees and Ericsson.
- Near future: Expansion planned for environmental sensors and drone inspections feeding data into AI tools.
What LPC, 2degrees, and Ericsson Said About Safety and Reliability Outcomes
LPC and partners were unusually direct about the operational motivation:
- Jackie Dawson (LPC CIO): LPC introduced private 5G to make operations safer, more reliable, and better connected, with stronger performance to avoid interruptions and support long-term digital plans.
- Andrew Fairgray (2degrees): Moving beyond traditional connectivity limitations provides a foundation for the future, improving operational resilience and enabling next-generation automation.
- Ian Ross (Ericsson): Private 5G is foundational for modern industrial environments, enabling reliable, low-latency connectivity across the port and supporting digitalisation, visibility, and efficiency—while helping streamline workflows and improve safety and security.
