Case Study: Elbfaehre Glueckstadt Wischhafen achieves 24/7 renewable-powered traffic monitoring with Xtralis

Traffic monitoring for elbe ferry line using renewable energy sources

Elbfaehre Glückstadt–Wischhafen is a midsize ferry operator linking Lower Saxony and Schleswig‑Holstein that carries over 700,000 vehicles a year and faces heavy seasonal peak traffic. To manage queues and optimize loading, the operator needed continuous, reliable traffic flow monitoring at both docks — but one site lacked power and network infrastructure, making a standard camera installation impractical.

Installer Thiele Hauselectronic deployed compact HeiTel CamServer 2c VideoGateways with Basler IP dome cameras mounted on roadside poles and paired to cover long approaches, with cellular fallback for live viewing. A hybrid renewable power system (solar panels, a small wind turbine, intelligent controller and batteries) provides 24/7 operation with two‑day battery backup; the solution improved vehicle pre‑sorting and peak‑time responses, delivered high image quality, and enabled monitoring where traditional infrastructure wasn’t available.

Elbfaehre Glueckstadt Wischhafen

Hildegard Both-Walberg

Managing Director