IP CCTV designed to protect Port Louis

A port operation creates a complex security environment requiring a surveillance system that’s both flexible and delivers the very highest quality video.

Port Louis – the Capital and main port of Mauritius – is benefiting from an investment in IndigoVision’s complete integrated IP video solution that has realised a new harbour-wide surveillance system.

In practice, the flexibility and distributed nature of the system allows a number of different agencies to monitor their own operations within the port.

Access to live and recorded video

Based in a new central Control Room and a number of sub-Control Rooms, officers of the Mauritius Police Force, the National Coast Guard, Customs and the Mauritius Port Authority itself can access live and recorded video from the many cameras located both inside and external to the port buildings.

Vikash Augnu – the project manager for Brinks Mauritius, IndigoVision’s local partner that designed and installed the system – told SMT Online: “Brinks has always maintained a key differentiation over other systems integrators by exceeding the expectations of its customers. In doing so, we had to provide the very best CCTV system for the port, which is one of the main trade entry routes into Mauritius and a high profile Government installation.”

The site is an extremely complex one which demanded a surveillance olution that was easy to install and deploy. “As a key member of the system design and execution team,” asserted Augnu, “I was amazed at the flexibility the IndigoVision system provided, while still being a very robust solution.”

Video compression solution of vital importance

With some cameras located over 4 km away and a number being connected via wireless networks, the video compression solution adopted is very important. IndigoVision’s compression technology allows DVD quality video to be streamed at 25 frames per second with minimum bandwidth requirement and latency. This enables PTZ cameras to be controlled smoothly over large distances, and wireless networks to be easily deployed.

Each agency’s operators also use ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s Security Management Software, to view live and recorded video from any of the cameras. An advanced suite of tools provides fast playback and analysis of recorded video, while clips can be exported for evidential purposes following an incident.

‘Control Center’ is licensed on an unrestricted basis within the cost of IndigoVision hardware, which means that workstations can be deployed for no more than the cost of a level-entry PC. That fact was exploited by the Mauritius Port Authority as three workstations, with 21 spot monitors, were installed in the main Control Room and a further nine workstations deployed in 5 sub-Control Rooms.

The distributed nature of the system means that any component, including ‘Control Center’ workstations, can be located at any point on the network.

Theft figures down, security on the up

In reality, IndigoVision’s distributed architecture removes the single point of failure associated with analogue and centralised network systems, creating a more robust solution – an important consideration for a high-profile surveillance operation at a major port.

“The system has been a great benefit to the Mauritius Port Authority and other agencies,” continued Augnu. “Petty theft has decreased, they have improved surveillance of the main gates, enhanced control and monitoring at the terminal and quay areas and there is now a much better deterrent to crime, particularly in the customs area.”

Each camera is continuously recorded at full frame-rate for one month on eight IndigoVision NVRs boasting a total storage capacity of 16 Tb. Any ‘Control Center’ workstation with the right permissions, no matter where it is located, can access recorded video from the NVRs.

Cameras deployed for the project

The cameras used are a variety of indoor and outdoor analogue models, with each being connected to IndigoVision’s 8000 transmitter/receiver units. These convert the camera video into MPEG-4 compressed digital streams for transmission over the fibre LAN or wireless network, both of which were newly installed by Brinks.

The Mauritius Port Authority also uses wash/wipe kits on its external cameras, which are triggered directly from any ‘Control Center’ workstation using custom commands sent over the network to the 8000 and then via a RS845 serial interface to the wash/wipe unit.