News / Orbcomm rolls out easier-to-install next-gen reefer tracker

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Orbcomm has launched what it claims is an easier-to-install version of its reefer container monitoring system, CT 3600.

Having recently branched out into dry container tracking, in agreements with container lines such as Hapag-Lloyd, Orbcomm is revisiting its offering for the reefer industry, where container tracking began.

Its new system has been developed with scale in mind, a response to unrelenting demand from the reefer sector, it says, and is intended to be easier for on-site personnel to install.

“Maritime IoT deployments can be a challenging experience for shipping lines,” said Christian Allred, Orbcomm SVP and GM of maritime logistics. “There are complex technology stacks and the sheer device count of mass deployments to worry about, not to mention third-party installation costs.”

An Orbcomm spokesperson told The Loadstar: “The core functionalities of the CT 3600 remain unchanged, but it can be installed much more quickly and cost-effectively, without drilling and with fewer components”.

The device is installed inside the reefer control cabinet, eliminating the need to drill into the box panels, potentially compromising its durability.

“It also removes the risk of accidental damage and reduces the likelihood of malicious tampering,” the spokesperson added.

Having installed its devices on 270,000 Maersk reefer containers in 2018, the Orbcomm spokesperson told The Loadstar: “Customers do not need to upgrade or replace previous devices; they will buy the new version going forward. All existing versions of our devices will continue to function as normal.”

Tracking devices are increasingly common on reefer containers, with Drewry recently estimating that some 40% of reefer and intermodal containers have devices installed.

Recently, Orbcomm became one of several device manufacturers to branch out into installations of tracking devices on dry containers, as well, a market which Drewry’s experts expect will reach 25% of dry containers by 2026.

Drewry head of research products Martin Dixon has previously told The Loadstar container tracking was “a train that is not going to stop”.