Maritime Multi-Hop Communication over 5G Networks: A Campus Area Testbed Implementation and Evaluation

The maritime sector is undergoing a transformation driven by the ambition to make the ecosystem more sustainable and cost-efficient. The European Commission (EC) supports the deployment of 5G infrastructure along major transport to improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions of the transport sector. New 5G features such as 5G Mobile Integrated Access and Backhaul (mIAB), Non-Public Network - Public Network (NPN-PN) interaction, and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity open opportunities to extend 5G coverage and enhance capacity further away from the coastline. This paper describes the second stage of our multi-hop 5G testbed realization developed in the 5G-ROUTES project. The complex testbed includes three complete 5G networks, so a 2-phase validation process was used to ensure adequate Technology Readiness Level (TRL). The results indicate that the testbed is mature enough for sea tests, but the system imposes both technical and regulatory constraints when operating in cross-border regions.