Three pioneers of RFID-enabled solutions for cargo container security have announced that in recent tests of their products, the Container Handling Cooperative Program (CHCP) demonstrated that lower radio frequency bands (UHF) outperformed higher frequencies for automatically identifying the location and security breaches of containers in real-world supply chain environments.
The three companies - Hi-G-Tek, EJ Brooks, and Savi Technology - were part of an independent six-month study conducted by the CHCP, a public-private partnership organised by the US DoT's Maritime Administration (MARAD) and industry members from transportation companies, terminal operators, port authorities, analysts, and technology providers.
The project evaluated the maturity of electronic security seals developed by a number of companies, and the study tested the performance of different electronic seals in operational environments such as railheads and intermodal entry and exit gates.
The lower frequency band (UHF, 433.92MHz) used in three separate products outperformed the product using a higher frequency (2.45GHz). The lower frequency seals demonstrated a significantly stronger signal strength and capability to transmit data around metal objects, such as cargo containers, whereas the higher frequency seals were more limited to line-of-sight transmission.
"The CHCP report is another important step in standardising best-of-breed E-Seal technologies," said Scott Kirk, executive vice president for EJ Brooks, an SST partner and security system provider for the intermodal industry.
"We're optimistic that tests such as CHCP's and other ongoing activities are all helping to shape standards that will lead to wider adoption of E-Seals worldwide," said Micha Auerbach, president and CEO of Hi-G-Tek, an Israeli-based provider of RFID tags and seals.
An e-seal, which is affixed to the door of a cargo container, is a computer microchip with radio antenna that transmits data over radio frequencies to reader networks. It automatically reports seal tampering, along with its own identity and location, to a reader that relays it to authorities via web-based software, cell phones or other PDA devices.
