Verizon and Nokia to bring private 5G to Thames Freeport

Verizon Business, Thames Freeport, and Nokia are working together to bring private 5G networks to key logistics and manufacturing sites along the River Thames in the UK. The deployment aims to support long-term digital upgrades in the region, which serves as one of the country’s busiest maritime logistics hubs.

The new private networks will support a mix of technologies, including AI, IoT, and edge computing. It is anticipated that the upgrade will support future infrastructure needs and modernise port and industrial operations. It’s part of a larger regional plan to boost the local economy, which includes research collaborations, training programmes, and job creation. With a focus on bringing more high-skilled roles into nearby communities, Thames Freeport has already created 1,400 jobs and is aiming for 5,000 by 2030.

Verizon’s private 5G setup will power a range of applications, from predictive maintenance and process automation to autonomous vehicle control, safety monitoring, and real-time logistics. The network is being developed with Nokia, which is supplying the hardware and software. These include Nokia’s Digital Automation Cloud and MX Industrial Edge platforms – tools designed to support industrial settings of technology with local processing and low-latency connectivity.

Three major Thames Freeport sites will get the new 5G infrastructure:

• DP World London Gateway and Logistics Park: A deep-sea container port that moves more than three million units each year. It also includes a large logistics centre and rail terminal.
• Port of Tilbury: A logistics site handling 16 million tonnes of cargo annually. It serves the construction, automotive, and food sectors.
• Ford Dagenham: London’s largest manufacturing site, chosen for its closeness to supply chains and regional production networks.

Private 5G will mean tenants can track cargo in near real time and monitor the condition of shipments. Vehicles like yard tractors and cranes can be automated to handle routine movements more efficiently. Smart sensors connected to the edge network will also help keep tabs on emissions, air and water quality, and noise levels, allowing operators to make changes to lessen environmental impact.

Thames Freeport and its shareholder tenants will manage the network themselves, controlling how connectivity is used in different sites. Each location will be able to tune network performance and keep sensitive operational data in-house, if required.

While the broader goal is to modernise port operations, the technology may also open up new possibilities for collaboration between industrial users, researchers, and public sector partners working in the Freeport zones.

(Photo by Leon Bredella)

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Tags: 5G, connectivity, networks, telecoms, verizon