Real time monitoring of ship cargo

A removable apparatus for communicating with a shipping container comprising:

• a power interface configured to be coupled to a power source to provide electrical power to the removable apparatus;
• a data interface configured to be coupled with a data communications port on the shipping container,
• the data interface configured to communicate with a first controller and a second controller of the shipping container, wherein the first controller and the second controller of the shipping container monitor at least one operational parameter associated with the shipping container and the first controller and the second controller are connected to one or more sensors of the shipping container;
• a communications interface coupled to a transmitter;
• and
• a control unit configured to receive, via the data interface, an operational parameter associated with the shipping container from the first controller or the second controller of the shipping container,
• the control unit further configured to determine that the operational parameter associated with the shipping container and received from the first controller or the second controller of the shipping container, should be transmitted,
• the control unit is further configured to transmit the operational parameter, or a derivative thereof, associated with the shipping container, using the communications interface.

A method for communicating with a shipping container comprising:

• receiving, at a removable communications and monitoring device, an operational parameter associated with the shipping container from a first controller or a second controller of the shipping container, wherein the first controller and the second controller of the shipping container monitor at least one operational parameter associated with the shipping container and the first controller and the second controller are connected to one or more sensors of the shipping container;
• determining, by the communications and monitoring device, that the operational parameter received from the first controller or the second controller of the of the shipping container and associated with the container should be transmitted to a receiving station;
• and
• transmitting the operational parameter, or a derivative thereof, associated with the shipping container to the receiving station based on the determination that the operational parameter received from the first controller or the second controller of the shipping container and associated with the container should be transmitted to a receiving station.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing thereon a set of instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

• receive an operational parameter associated with the shipping container from a first controller or a second controller of the shipping container, wherein the first controller and the second controller of the shipping container monitor at least one operational parameter associated with the shipping container and the first controller and the second controller are connected to one or more sensors of the shipping container;
• determine that the operational parameter received from the first controller or the second controller of the of the shipping container and associated with the container should be transmitted to a receiving station;
• and
• transmit the operational parameter, or a derivative thereof, associated with the shipping container to the receiving station based on the determination that the operational parameter received from the first controller or the second controller of the shipping container and associated with the container should be transmitted to a receiving station.

A system for communicating with a shipping container comprising:

• a monitoring a communications controller configured to:
• receive an operational parameter associated with the shipping container from a first controller or a second controller of the shipping container, wherein the first controller and the second controller of the shipping container monitor at least one operational parameter associated with the shipping container and the first controller and the second controller are connected to one or more sensors of the shipping container;
• determine that the operational parameter received from the first controller or the second controller of the of the shipping container and associated with the container should be transmitted to a receiving station;
• and
• transmit the operational parameter, or a derivative thereof, associated with the shipping container to the receiving station based on the determination that the operational parameter received from the first controller or the second controller of the shipping container and associated with the container should be transmitted to a receiving station;
• a data server configured to:
• receive an operational parameter associated with the shipping container from the monitoring and communications controller;
• and
• send the operational parameter associated with the shipping container to a user.