A control center prepared for what will happen in the future thanks to a design studied down to the smallest detail and technical furniture prepared for 24/7 performance.
Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), the newest flagship container terminal at Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia, has decided to undertake an ambitious plan to modernize its 1 and 2 Terminals.
The new project included the transition to remote control of most of the cranes used in the management of container loading and unloading, the optimization of communication between both terminal yards with the aim of improving workflow and the modernization and expansion of the operations center from which the critical activities of both terminals are monitored and managed. In summary, those responsible sought to maximize the efficiency and collaboration of the terminals to achieve the highest performance.
To achieve this, RSGT collaborated with port management consultancies and construction companies, who provided them with some general recommendations and a high-level guide that met the expectations of the final result desired by the client. They also had experts in the field who, through the presentation of their knowledge and experience, tipped the balance of RSGT towards us for the development of the detailed engineering of the operations center.
A large-scale project
The new operations center for the port of Jeddah consisted of two floors, with an area of 4,500m² each, and a capacity of approximately 250 workstations, of which approximately 50 were operational 24/7.
One of the great challenges that our team had to face, was working on an existing building that had undergone a partial demolition which had to comply exhaustively with the ISO 11064 standard. To do this, calculations and designs were carried out for new HVAC, MEP, lighting systems, acoustics and other important ergonomic aspects.
Due to the size of the project, several discovery meetings were held and several initial consulting jobs were carried out after which the needs of RSGT and the problems to be resolved were identified. For example, improvements in acoustics, correct visualization of dashboards and KPIs, flexibility of working in different teams depending on the operational situation, creation of more multipurpose and dynamic meeting spaces or improvements in communication and collaboration.
Design adapted to technical and aesthetic requirements
All these needs were considered in the initial conceptual design carried out by the GESAB Presales team, which also considered the message and corporate image that RSGT wanted to project, conceptualizing the sea, sand and a lighthouse as central elements with special emphasis in the control room.
The final design was presented through detailed plans, renders and virtual reality presentations, providing the client with a realistic image as well as a tool to evaluate ergonomic and spatial factors, along with moodboards of different finishes and colors.
Furthermore, taking advantage of the solid relationship forged at that time with RSGT, its team made a visit to Spain to see some similar facilities developed by GESAB, thus consolidating the recommendation of our products for its new control center.
Technical furniture for efficiency and decision-making
Finally, it was decided to implement Advantis NG control consoles, due to their great power specifically designed for demanding and high-performance 24/7 critical environments. Its maximum connectivity and modular system also made it the most suitable candidate in our entire portfolio by providing the necessary ergonomics required by the client.
Various meeting tables with a sit & stand system from the Advantis NG range complete the spaces where the most strategic and critical decisions for RSGT can be made.
The customization of all the technical furniture coincides perfectly with both the needs of the operational positions in the different rooms, as well as with the client’s corporate image.
Maximizing efficiency and collaboration
The design, engineering and execution taken care of down to the smallest detail of this operations center has brought substantial improvements in the operation and results of RSGT. Thus, on the one hand, it has allowed the transition to remote control of cranes, increasing safety and efficiency in container yards with a notable increase in KPIs. On the other hand, ergonomic improvements in the different control rooms and other workstations have significantly increased staff satisfaction and drastically reduced sick leave.
These advances translate into a notable improvement in the logistics services provided to the population of Saudi Arabia, preparing for projects such as NEOM or Red Sea. Finally, the inauguration of this facility opens the possibility for the client to receive high-level visits, generating positive results for the reputation and operation of the control center.
