The Port of Southampton has upgraded its security via a combination of 156 CLIQ keys and padlocks, supplied by Abloy UK. The system has been designed to increase traceability and help manage access across their large estate.
Handling in excess of 14 million tonnes of commodities a year, 900,000 vehicles and central to the UK’s cruise industry, the Port of Southampton requires many individuals to have access to the quayside, creating security and safety challenges.
The port owner, Associated British Ports (ABP), sought out a system that could more effectively secure the berths. It required a traceable system which would provide audit trails, allowing it to authorise and identify each key holder. In addition, the system needed to be efficient, without the need to replace the entire suite if one key was stolen or lost.
ABP selected CLIQ from Abloy, comprising padlocks and electronic keys which can be programmed to give authorised people access to specific areas of the port at designated times. The project began with a trial of 20 CLIQ padlocks and now comprises 156 component, with further expansion scheduled.
The CLIQ system allows the security team to have complete control over access to the port berths. Should there be a breach to the security or health and safety protocols, such as leaving a gate open, audit trail generation will allow the security team to identify which keyholder is responsible.
The keys can also be reprogrammed, for instance if someone leaves the company or requires different access, so key management is much more secure and convenient. This also reduces the risk from lost or stolen keys which can simply be deleted from the system.
Furthermore, with the initial configuration in place the system is scalable, so ABP can easily expand the system by ordering new keys and locks and programming them on the management platform. In addition to the Port of Southampton, ABP has rolled out CLIQ at Hull, Immingham and other smaller ports too.
Andrew Billings, Group Head of Security at Associated British Ports, said: “The project was seamless. I had a lot of support from Abloy all the way through – there’s always someone at the end of the phone ready to help. The port now has a product that will last, has a high security specification and which gives us absolute peace of mind.”
Steve Wintle, Head of Critical Infrastructure at Abloy UK, said: “A complex site does not always require a complex solution. CLIQ’s simplicity, and the efficiency it brings to managing access is why it continues to be the locking and security system choice. I’m exceptionally pleased with the success of the project with ABP, and it’s fantastic to know that our solution is helping to bolster their robust health and safety practices.”
