The hub, an enormous multi-level building, routes tens of thousands of heavy cargo containers imported and exported each day. Scanners mounted along conveyor belts read passing RFID tags embedded into the containers, recording each shipment's location and contents, creating data that can then be accessed online. Though the company won't disclose the cost, it's aiming for 100 percent accuracy of shipments routed through the terminal. Security is another benefit of wireless tracking. The locks, fastened on the inside of a container, can be controlled only by RFID signals beamed from readers positioned within 300 feet of the containers.
Authorized personnel can operate the locks online.
They can also determine who has opened a container, when it was opened, and where. The Savi technology has helped prevent theft from trailors containing shipments worth as much as several million dollars. Kim Cross is a staff writer for Business 2.0 .