Logistics, Agriculture & Distributed SitesS95

Reefer Container Monitoring

The problem

Reefer stacks in a yard are checked by walking the rows, so a tripped plug or an alarm on one container can go unnoticed for hours.

Solution overview

MILESGO gateways collect data from reefer container controllers (via the terminal monitoring interface), electricity meters, run/stop and fault dry contacts over Modbus RTU / Modbus TCP, and deliver it to SCADA, third-party platforms (HTTP API), SMS, email and messaging alarms as MQTT / OPC UA. Field equipment keeps its own protocol and control logic; integration is done by configuration and point mapping, not custom code.

Typical scope

reefer container controllers (via the terminal monitoring interface)
electricity meters
run/stop and fault dry contacts

Protocol path

Modbus RTU / Modbus TCP → MQTT / OPC UA

Implementation checklist for the project manager

Where equipment only offers a vendor API or cloud, confirm access rights, data rate and costs with the vendor before design.
Collect register maps and protocol documents from every equipment vendor early; a missing map is the most common delay.
RS-485: shielded twisted pair, daisy-chain topology, termination at both ends, up to 32 nodes per segment without a repeater.
Outdoor sites need a weatherproof, ventilated enclosure with surge protection; the gateways are panel-mount devices (working range -20 °C to +70 °C).
Define an alarm matrix (priority, recipient, escalation) and test every alarm end to end at SAT.
Fix a site / asset naming convention before the first site so data from all sites can be compared.

Project deliverables

Signed point table and protocol mapping
Gateway configuration files and backups
IP address plan and network drawing
FAT and SAT test records
As-built documentation and operator training

System architecture

Field layer: reefer container controllers (via the terminal monitoring interface), electricity meters, run/stop and fault dry contacts, connected over Modbus RTU / Modbus TCP. Edge and integration layer: MILESGO protocol gateways and edge controllers, mounted on DIN rail in existing panels, polling each device, time-stamping values and buffering them locally. Upper layer: SCADA, third-party platforms (HTTP API), SMS, email and messaging alarms, which receives the data as MQTT / OPC UA. Remote access for maintenance runs over VPN rather than open internet ports.

System composition

Field devices: reefer container controllers (via the terminal monitoring interface), electricity meters, run/stop and fault dry contacts
Edge / integration: MILESGO protocol gateways and edge controllers
Upper systems: SCADA, third-party platforms (HTTP API), SMS, email and messaging alarms (MQTT / OPC UA)
Tools and commissioning: Web-based configuration, point table import/export (Excel), off-site simulation and on-site diagnostic tools

Software and AI capabilities

Anomaly detection on trend dataRoadmap

Delivery steps

1
Site survey and point list
Inventory devices, protocols, register maps, panel space, power and network paths.
2
Design and point table sign-off
Map every point to the target protocol and system; agree it with the client and the upper-system contractor.
3
Configuration and FAT
Build the gateway configuration off site, simulate it and test against the signed point table.
4
Installation and wiring
Mount gateways on DIN rail, wire RS-485 / I/O / Ethernet, apply the IP plan.
5
SAT and alarm tests
Verify values against local readings, test every alarm and command end to end.
6
Handover and support
Hand over configuration backups, point table and as-built documents; train operators.

Customer value

Alarms reach the right person by SMS, email or messaging apps
Consumption visible by area, system and time period
Abnormal conditions seen early, before they become failures
Timestamped records for compliance and reporting

Tell us about your project

Send the protocols, point count and target system. A sales and engineering pair reviews every submission.

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