High-tech sensors have been installed at the Port of Ipswich in a bid to turn it into a "smart port".

In a trial run by the port's owners Associated British Ports (ABP) and BT, internet connected sensors have been installed on cranes and port vehicles.

The Internet of Things tech feeds information back to bosses at the port who hope it will speed up operations, cut costs and make the port more efficient.

Sensors have been placed on a wide range of equipment at the port and will measure things such as time, distance travelled, routes taken, and weight unloaded.

This will allow bosses to track the progress of the ship-to-shore operations and make decisions about how best to use the ports assets.

It is also hoped that the technology can help the port port cut back on its greenhouse gas emissions.

Dean Terry, managing director, corporate and public sector, in BT’s Enterprise unit said: “It’s fantastic to see the early success of our partnership with ABP as we support their ambitions for the Port of Ipswich to become a leading smart port.

"In deploying our IoT solution, we’re able to help produce intelligent, actionable insights to support the teams on the ground to monitor equipment in real-time, and make instant, autonomous decisions to speed up the supply chain.

“This is made possible by combining our award-winning 4G EE network with our deep expertise in sensor technology, network infrastructure and supply chains.

Andrew Harston, a region director at Associated British Ports, said: “The trial with BT is an exciting step in the Port of Ipswich’s journey to becoming a smart port.

"The data generated by the Internet of Things solution gives the team in Ipswich the power to manage our resources and assets more effectively, improving our productivity and reducing our costs.

"Ultimately, this trial will help us to provide even better customer service.”