Hikvision and Milestone Systems are supporting a project to find an innovative solution for improving safety and security along the waterfront in Aalborg, Denmark. They teamed up with Aalborg Municipality, the North Jutland Emergency Services, Aalborg University’s Faculty of Engineering and Science, and security company Actas AS to find a solution that utilises Hikvision thermal cameras.
The system works with a combination of thermal cameras (which will be set up between Limfjordsbroen and Honnørkajen during the trial period) and one controllable camera for use in active searches. Aalborg University is mapping risk areas and developing a ground-breaking program that can “recognise” accidents and raise an alarm.
When someone exhibits dangerous behaviour along the waterfront, either on land or in the water, the emergency services will be notified. A camera on Limfjordsbroen will be activated at the same time to record what is happening. This can also be used as an aid if a rescue operation is required. This means that the emergency services will be notified immediately if there is an accident, and live footage from the site can be streamed to their control centre using the existing video platform. The control centre can then call out a lifeboat if required.
Hans Henrik Henriksen, Councilor for the Planning and Landscape Department, says “Aalborg is very proud of its waterfront. The city has built up around the water, but this also means we need to ensure our water safety measures are the best they can be. We are working continuously to improve safety along the waterfront, and we have taken a number of initiatives towards this such as adding more lighting, more rescue stations, new ladders, and so on.
Despite this, we have found that accidents are still happening, which is why I look forward to the opportunity to think outside the box during this trial and to be innovative in this area in collaboration with Aalborg University and the North Jutland Emergency Services. If things go well, it’s likely the project will also be adopted and used in other port cities in Denmark and perhaps also abroad,” concludes Hans Henrik Henriksen, in March. Now, with the test phase a success, Aalborg is almost ready to go live with the system. The municipality is also planning an expansion with more cameras, due to the high levels of confidence they have in the system’s success.
