--- title: Private 5G across a 190-acre marine port date: 2026-07-23T16:11:00+10:00 author: Pradhyum canonical_url: "https://celona.io/resources/west-coast-marine-terminal-private-5g" section: Resources --- / Case Study | Ports | Major West Coast marine-terminal operator # Private 5G across a 190-acre marine port Private 5G across a 190-acre marine terminal, from light poles that were already there — and an ~80-truck fleet off metered public cellular. ![Gallery AP on pole over container stacks](https://celona.io/volumes/images/gallery_AP-on-pole_over-container-stacks.jpg) 8, two sector APs on existing light poles — zero new civil works ~80 trucks moved off metered public cellular 99.999% availability (five-nines) per the customer SLA 190-acre terminal covered — no blind spots / At a glance ## Terminal-wide private 5G — no blind spots, no metered data. ### \_01 The Challenge - ~80 yard trucks on a public macro network across a 190-acre port - Spotty coverage — worst where containers stack to max height - Every byte metered and billed; no network visibility - Wi-Fi impractical at that AP count; SLA demanded 99.999% ### \_02 The Solution - Celona private 5G for the yard-truck fleet - 8 two-sector APs on existing light poles — no civil works - Signal reaches trucks even through fully stacked containers - All traffic private and on-premises ### \_03 The Outcome - Final drive test: full coverage, zero blind spots - Five-nines (99.999%) availability per the customer SLA - Metered public-carrier data eliminated - Improved data security and full network visibility A major U.S. West Coast marine-terminal operator runs container operations across a 190-acre terminal, where a fleet of roughly 80 yard trucks (terminal tractors) constantly moves containers and reports position and status. Those trucks depended on truck-mounted routers riding a public-carrier macro network — and at port scale, that was the weak link. ## The problem with public macro cellular Macro coverage across a container yard is spotty by nature, and it gets worse exactly where the work is densest — signal has to punch through steel containers stacked to maximum height. ![Gallery coverage through stacked containers](https://celona.io/volumes/images/Resources/_698x930_fit_center-center_70_none_ffffff/55946/gallery_coverage-through-stacked-containers.webp) Every byte the fleet sent was metered and billed on a carrier data plan, and because the traffic rode a public network, the operator had no real visibility or control over it. Blanketing 190 acres with Wi-Fi wasn't practical either: the AP count and cabling to cover an open yard at that scale is prohibitive, and Wi-Fi couldn't meet the 99.999% availability the operation demanded. ## One private 5G layer on existing light poles Celona deployed private 5G for the truck fleet: eight access points, each with two sectors, cover the entire terminal. Crucially, they mounted on the port's existing light poles — no trenching, no new towers, no civil works. ![Gallery AP on light pole quayside](https://celona.io/volumes/images/Resources/_533x666_fit_center-center_70_none_ffffff/55952/gallery_AP-on-light-pole_quayside.webp) ![Gallery AP on light pole yard](https://celona.io/volumes/images/Resources/_606x733_fit_center-center_70_none_ffffff/55959/gallery_AP-on-light-pole_yard.webp) The higher transmit power and cellular link budget of private 5G reach the trucks even deep in stacked-container canyons where Wi-Fi and macro both struggle. All traffic now stays private and on-premises, so the operator finally has full visibility into its own network. ## Verified, and built to an SLA The final drive test across the yard showed full coverage with no blind spots, and the network holds to the customer's 99.999% availability SLA. The metered public-carrier data is gone — replaced by a private network the operator owns and monitors — and moving all traffic on-premises improved data security at the same time. ## What it sets up: remote and automated cranes The same deterministic fabric opens the terminal's next step — moving crane operators out of on-crane cabs into a central control room, where one operator runs multiple RTG cranes across automatic, semi-automatic, and manual-remote modes. Private 5G delivers the wireless equivalent of trenched fiber to every gantry: video under 200 ms, deterministic control-data response between the control center and on-crane PLCs, and per-crane VLAN isolation — all without civil works across the yard. ![Gallery quayside crane connectivity](https://celona.io/volumes/images/Resources/_540x665_fit_center-center_70_none_ffffff/55967/gallery_quayside-crane-connectivity.webp) At a Glance Customer**Major West Coast marine-terminal operator** Vertical**Ports** Facility**190-acre marine container terminal** Location**U.S. West Coast port (name withheld)** Spectrum**CBRS / private 5G** Solution - Celona private 5G for the yard-truck fleet - 8 two-sector APs on existing light poles (no civil works) - Coverage through max-height container stacks - MicroSlicing / per-crane VLAN isolation (crane roadmap) - Celona Edge + Orchestrator - Five-nines (99.999%) availability; all traffic private and on-prem / Related resources ## Go deeper More resources on private wireless for the enterprise. [Case Studies NEW ### Global data center hyperscaler needing deterministic wireless at a AI-dense server floor A global hyperscaler deployed Celona Orion private 5G across its server floors to give technicians reliable mobility in high-interference AI compute environments — while Wi-Fi continues to serve office and administrative spaces. Data centers · Jul 2026 ](https://celona.io/resources/global-data-center-needs-deterministic-wireless-amidst-rf-interference) [Installation Guide NEW ### Celona AP25-48 installation guide Data centers · Warehousing & logistics · Jul 2026 ](https://celona.io/resources/celona-ap25-48-installation-guide) [Data Sheet NEW ### WAP14 data sheet High-density enterprise Wi-Fi 7, unified with Private 5G through the Celona Orion platform. Data centers · Warehousing & logistics · Jul 2026 ](https://celona.io/resources/wap14-data-sheet) [Access all Resources ](https://celona.io/resources) / Next step ## See what Celona Orion can do for your plant Talk to the team behind Del Conca's deployment, or take the platform for a spin. [ Request a demo → ](https://celona.io/contact-us) [ Explore the platform → ](https://celona.io/manufacturing)