Milestone Systems

Bharat Diamond Bourse

Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) is one of the largest and most sophisticated diamond centers in the World. With over 4,000 members engaged in import and export, trade, and marketing of rough and polished diamonds, BDB has created a business framework to conduct their transactions in maximum convenience and security. The bourse was set up for the primary objective of establishing necessary infrastructural facilities for promotion of export of diamonds including diamond jewellery from India and to provide for these purposes all support and service facilities to eventually make India an International Trading Centre for Diamonds and Gems and Jewellery.

CHALLENGE: COMPLEX INFRASTRUCTURE

BDB Complex is housed in a sprawling complex covering 20 acres with a constructed area of two million square feet. It includes two basements of additional one million square feet for car parking and utility services with 24x7 state-of-the-art security and surveillance system and has a dedicated, well-equipped quick response team for tackling crisis.

Such a multi-purpose and safety-critical premise fundamentally requires a state-of-art security and surveillance infrastructure.

The bourse has a daily footfall of over 70,000+ people coming from all over for diamond trading and it houses critical plant operation. To address this scale of activities efficiently round the clock, it was crucial for BDB to maintain utmost security and safety for people and property.

“We were looking for something that is more than security cameras and analog monitoring. The diamond industry requires the highest standards of security and safety and with a more advanced and open VMS surveillance system, we are raising the bar for security standards. Milestone was what we were looking for to help control the security of the entire premises.” commented, Samir Jha, Head Security & Fire Safety, BDB.

THE MILESTONE SYSTEMS SOLUTION: OPENNESS AND SCALABILITY

To close all loops in security measures, BDB chose Milestone Systems, entrusting the open VMS platform with the high security and advanced surveillance BDB needed. On top of that, BDB also found that they were working with very user-friendly platform applications that suited every compliance requirement.


“The best part of Milestone was the openness and scalability by which one can select any camera model or any other system on Milestone. The platform proved to be very user-friendly, not only in terms of installation and configuration, but also in terms of operation. It fulfilled all our requirements locally and onsite with high availability in terms of video data.”

To their surprise, they also found that they were able to access the surveillance system on-the-go using smartphones and tablets.

“The XProtect Mobile app has aided immediate access to the surveillance system on-the-go via smartphones and tablets. Through the app, our security team who goes out patrolling every day can now view, play-back and export videos, listen to audio clips and speak through the camera, as well as respond to Access Control requests and receive push notifications regarding events that can be triggered as alarms directly to a mobile device. Certain other features like MAPs, Smart Wall, Carousel View, and Matrix etc. are also very helpful in proactive monitoring,” said Walter Crasto, Head IT, BDB.

With a huge area to cover, it took BDB around two years to install 3,500 Plus Cameras. They are looking forward to doubling these installations and have them integrated with the Access Control System (ACS) and Video Analytics (VA) system.

RESULT: IMPROVED RECOVERY RATE

The recovery of stolen diamonds is notable in an industry where the overall recovery rate for stolen diamonds is low. In 2020, BDB had a 100% recovery rate of precious stones and other properties, thanks largely to Milestone’s assisted video technology.
‘There will always be people who are looking to take our diamonds. But now with Milestone System’s open VMS, they are going to find it a lot more challenging. Even our lost diamonds are eventually returned.’ BDB is also glad to contribute to the community, by assisting the Mumbai city police to monitor road safety of surrounding areas with the assistance of the Milestone’s open VMS platforms.

The Port of Antwerp

It’s no easy task to see what goes on in every nook and cranny of a seaport the size of 20,000 football fields. And with supertankers docking every minute, even a slight oversight can lead to an environmental disaster or security threat. With Milestone XProtect, the Port of Antwerp can see and respond to incidents almost before they occur.

CHALLENGE: HELP TO SEE – AND ACT IN TIME

Being the second largest seaport in Europe, the Port of Antwerp faced numerous challenges in its daily operations, ranging from environmental and safety to security and logistics. With a central location in the industrial heartland of Western Europe, and a capacity to handle the biggest ships in the world, the port experiences high traffic in terms of freight, port users and co-operators. This renders it impossible for port authorities to be physically present everywhere.

They needed a solution to help them see and quickly respond to any occurrences – not least, potential oil spills during the refuelling of ships.

SOLUTION: FROM CLOSED DVR TO OPEN PLATFORM VMS

• XProtect Corporate and Smart Client integrate with third-party solutions
• Primarily Bosch cameras
• A mix of IBM (Lenovo), DELL and virtual servers with VMWare
• Flexibility to expand the system in the future
• The ability to choose cameras most suitable for the environment

The Port of Antwerp initially had a stand-alone DVR system with limited camera support and no networking capabilities. Also, the old system only covered certain parts of the vast port area, and costly accidents frequently occurred in locations that were not monitored.

RESULT: CENTRAL OVERVIEW AND FEWER INCIDENTS

With Milestone’s distributed video management solution, port authorities can now monitor the entire port area from one central location. In short, the staff can see what’s going on, no matter where and what it is.

This has enabled immediate detection of unusual events and the ability to respond promptly, limiting impact. After implementing the open-platform VMS solution, the Port of Antwerp saw a reduced number of accidents, less vandalism and theft, better management of shipping traffic and the ability to protect the environment in instances of oil leaks.

The high-resolution, situational overview provided by the monitoring solution enables fast detection of questionable events. And when incidents do happen, the Port of Antwerp has access to better proof of damage, saving both time and money.
In addition, the open-platform video technology enables port authorities to easily integrate the system with other authorities, such as the port’s Facility Management and Shipping Police. This allows all relevant parties access to the same video data when necessary, so matters can be addressed before they potentially escalate.

Shannon Airport

Shannon Airport has a demanding situation to protect the aviation hub: a large perimeter and mostly flat airfield are wide open to viewing by security personnel – but also for intruders. Where previous systems failed, a comprehensive roll-out of Navtech radar and Axis cameras coupled with Milestone XProtect® have fully secured the area for smooth operations.

CHALLENGE: HELP CONTROL ACCESS TO RESTRICTED AREAS

Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland, is a vital international airport serving primarily Irish, European and American destinations. As a transatlantic stop-off point for commercial and military travel, it’s now the fastest growing business corridor in the country. It has the longest runway in Ireland at 3,200 meters and is the only Irish airport that can accommodate the world’s largest jet. Such big spaces present a special environment for the security team.

John Francis, Chief Officer of the Shannon Security Airport Police, said this about their unique security challenges: “Shannon Airport is a key international hub and has a responsibility to protect its passengers, people, planes and other equipment. This job is especially complex due to the large 15km perimeter that must be secured against intrusion. The airfield has mainly flat terrain, making patrols difficult as intruders can spot our vehicles from afar. We therefore needed technology that could alert to possible trespassing and provide context around intrusion events.”

SOLUTION: CENTRAL LOOKOUT WITH ‘EYES’ WIDE OPEN

• Full-angle video cameras from Axis Communications
• Milestone XProtect Expert video management software with open platform
• AdvanceGuard® intelligent real-time threat analysis from Navtech Radar

The Shannon Airport team experimented with different security devices, including the use of thermal cameras to discover people on-site, perimeter detection and alarms, and sensors underground. These had limited effectiveness, with false alarms, a lack of accuracy and timeliness, and in the case of the sensors, having to dig up the airfield.

After evaluating several perimeter detection technologies, the Navtech Radar AdvanceGuard solution was chosen for intelligent threat analysis. This provides exceptional perimeter detection and tracks any intruders in real-time as they move across the site, so the team can rapidly respond before they enter critical areas.”

RESULTS: CATCHING INTRUDERS ON ARRIVAL

With Axis, Milestone XProtect and NavTech AdvanceGuard, the airport’s security staff can now see any potential intrusions on-site, along with an interactive site plan, video of any intruders and the location of security teams.

Through the rules engine in XProtect software, cameras are instructed to hone in on what’s happening so security staff can decide whether action is needed. The ’Friend or Foe’ system cuts down false alarms while automated camera and lighting control increases efficiency.


Weathering the storms

This solution is not as impacted by weather conditions as previous systems. With southwesterly gales common in the area, the system’s accuracy and continuity give the team greater peace of mind that the site is protected round the clock.

Information on where the perimeter is compromised, based on the radar tracking points of entry (within 30cm) as well as journeys across the airfield, are used by security leadership to further strengthen their perimeter defenses. This ensures a repeat incursion is unlikely from the same point.

Open design makes an efficient security hub Milestone’s open platform architecture enables further functionality and devices to be added as needed over time. It also meant cost savings since the installation did not require new infrastructure.
As everything integrates within XProtect, the key information is available in one place. This benefits training and ease-of-use, as staff only have a single intuitive interface instead of separate operations for every solution on-site.