EA Group (UK) Limited, part of the Dublin-based Electro Automation Group of Companies, were awarded the contract to supply and install an Overheight Vehicle Detection System (OVDS) for DP World at the London Gateway.

London Gateway will be the UK’s first 21st Century major deep-sea container port and Europe’s largest logistics park.

Situated on the north bank of the River Thames, London Gateway provides unrivalled deep-sea shipping access for the world’s leading businesses to the largest consumer markets in the UK.

Building the UK’s first 21st century major deep-sea container port has its challenges. To build the port next to an oil refinery with large volumes of heavy and abnormal size contruction traffic needing to pass beneath vital infrastructure only increases the challenge, but a challenge that DP Word are safely overcoming at the London Gateway in Essex with an Overheight Vehicle Detection system supplied and installed by EA Group.

As with all major construction sites, the conditions for any electronic equipment to operate reliably are, as you would expect, harsh at times.

Heavy construction vehicles, plant and trucks generate dust or spray depending on the weather, and at the London Gateway these vehicles pass within just a few metres of the Overheight Vehicle Detection System as it monitors their height.

The OVDS is positioned 100 metres before the vital infrastructure and any vehicle of 4.2 metres or higher breaks the twin infra-red means that pass over the roadway, triggering the detection system to immediately illuminate a bright LED sign instructing the driver to stop as the vehicle is overheight.

In addition, the system has been configured with GSM remote monitoring; this is an advanced feature that generates an email that is sent to DP World advising that the system has been activated by an overheight vehicle.

During the selection process, Colin Hitchcock, Harbour Master at DP World London Gateway was clear that the criteria for the system, as part of the site’s strict safety plan, had to be of an extremely robust design and capable of operating 24/7 in constantly changing climate conditions.

Speaking shortly after the system was commissioned, Colin Hitchcock commentated “after seeing the system working today onsite, we are very happy and are impressed with its operation and effectiveness.”

EA Group could demonstrate that their system had been designed for continuous operation in fog, ice, snow, dust and heat. In addition, the system meets ISO/IEC Guide 22 Compliance, CE Mark, NEMA 3R Cabinet ENCLOSURE Rating, CALTRANS lightning and hi/lo voltage parameters.

EA Group Managing Director, Robert Munday said, “as a group we are delighted to have been chosen by DP World as the preferred supplier of the overheight vehicle detections systems at London Gateway.”

He continued, “For us as a group, this has been a superb opportunity to demonstrate again that with our partnership with Trigg, we lead the field in the UK and Ireland for overheight vehicle detection technology.”