The Port of Klaipėda has completed trials of a private 5G network, moving the Lithuanian gateway a step closer to port-wide automation — though with no decision yet on a permanent build. Santa Monica Networks and Latvia's LMT have also finished the design phase for a network that could eventually cover the whole port. For now, it's a proof of concept. A rather well-demonstrated one.

The trials ran in a live port environment, testing applications aimed at equipment monitoring, inspections and operational decision-making. That's the mundane vocabulary ports use when they mean fewer people walking quays with clipboards.

What did the trials actually show?

Atlas demonstrated its AtlasNEST and AtlasPRO drone systems. The drones fly remotely, run inspections and return to their stations to recharge — no handler, no ladder, no downtime for the crane team.

LVR Flote, meanwhile, put its Otter uncrewed surface vessel through its paces. The Otter carries out hydrographic surveys of harbour waters, and the company paired it with tools for transferring and processing survey data. Fed over 5G, those systems can cut manual work and speed up data analysis. Faster dredging decisions follow faster soundings.

What does a private network change for the port?

Control, mostly. A private 5G network lets Klaipėda manage connectivity across its own infrastructure — prioritising critical communications, controlling connected devices and keeping sensitive operational data inside its own perimeter. The Klaipėda State Seaport Authority says those capabilities could support automation while improving communication reliability and operational resilience. The technology could also keep communications secure during operational disruptions.

Algis Latakas, Director General of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, said: "A private 5G network could unlock even more opportunities for the Port of Klaipėda by enabling the implementation of advanced solutions, process automation, and increased operational capacity."

Note the conditional tense throughout. Unlocking opportunities is not the same as signing a contract.

Is there a working blueprint?

Yes, and it's next door. LMT has already deployed a private 5G network at the Baltic Container Terminal in the Port of Riga, covering more than 50 hectares — roughly 70 football pitches of terminal. It supports daily operations there, including connectivity for mobile equipment and critical communications. That deployment gives Klaipėda a practical reference rather than a vendor's slide deck.

What happens next?

Nothing is committed. The port has announced no final decision and no implementation timetable for a permanent port-wide network, so shippers and terminal operators at Klaipėda shouldn't recalibrate their berth-window expectations just yet. Still, with the design phase done and a working Baltic precedent in Riga, the direction of travel is clear: the infrastructure question has shifted from whether to when.