Thales, a leading company in rail solutions for port environments, is implementing the automation and monitoring project for the Port of Marín in Pontevedra. This project will provide the Port with a digital management system to support the operation of the rail network within the port.
After a 15-month implementation period and a budget exceeding two million euros, the movement of the port's track switches and other equipment can be carried out automatically and remotely.
The automation of the Port of Marín—the first in Galicia to utilize rail, and one of the leading ports in the country in terms of the percentage of rail freight relative to the total volume handled annually—is an ambitious project that will bring significant improvements in two key areas, thanks to the elimination of manual switch operations. Firstly, it will improve worker safety by replacing mechanical components that require manual effort with motors that require specific training to operate. On the other hand, in terms of efficiency, it will save time and maneuvering costs.
To implement this, the rail-port operation will be equipped with a digital management system to support operations. This system will integrate the automation of mechanical components, signaling, and fiber optic communications. Similarly, the system will be responsible for verifying its status, as well as providing local and central monitoring of all rail-port activity.
The project will include the motorization of track switches, as well as the installation of associated equipment to improve and simplify operations. This will allow for central monitoring of train presence within the rail area of the port.