⛴️ FerryLight
Comprehensive System Briefing
Real-time Community Information System
Markus van Kempen
📝 Executive Summary
A real-time system to eliminate travel uncertainty for the Englishtown ↔ Jersey Cove ferry crossing in Nova Scotia, Canada.
🎯 Problem & Solution
⚠️ The Challenge
- Uncertain ferry status
- 25-minute detour if ferry down
- Limited internet at ports
- Older residents need simple displays
✅ FerryLight Solution
- Real-time AIS vessel tracking
- Physical roadside LED displays
- Offline-first Progressive Web App
- Smart push notifications
📊 Ferry Statistics
✨ Core Features
🚢 Ferry Tracking
Live AIS position & real-time status updates
🌤️ Weather
Local weather station + Environment Canada alerts
📅 Events
Community calendar, garbage schedules, announcements
💡 LED Display
Physical WLED matrix for roadside status
🛍️ Shop
FerryLight merchandise with Stripe payments
🏰 Attractions
Local business directory for visitors
🏗️ System Architecture
Signal to Screen: Complete data flow from AIS receiver to user devices
🔄 Data Flow Sequence
📱 Web Application
Ferry Status • Weather Conditions • Community Events
🛍️ FerryLight Shop
🛒 E-Commerce Features
- FerryLight branded merchandise
- T-shirts, caps, mugs & more
- International shipping support
💳 Secure Checkout
- Stripe payment integration
- Real-time shipping calculation
- Order tracking & email confirmation
💡 Physical Layer (IoT)
WLED Matrix Displays & Road Signage — Designed for residents who prefer physical indicators over mobile apps
🛠️ Technology Stack
| Layer | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Frontend | React 18, PWA, Leaflet Maps, Styled Components |
| Backend | Node.js, Express.js, WebSocket |
| Integration | Node-RED, MQTT, REST APIs |
| Data | PostgreSQL, Docker, Docker Compose |
| Infrastructure | Traefik, Let's Encrypt SSL, VPS |
🚀 Future: PAX Counters
🗓️ Planned for Summer 2026
Problem: AIS tracking shows ferry position but can't measure queue length at terminals.
Solution: Deploy LoRaWAN-connected Bluetooth/WiFi sniffers at both ferry ports.
Goal: Accurate wait time estimation based on device density in the queue.
🌐 Deployment
🐳 VPS Hosted
Fully Dockerized multi-container environment
🔄 DevOps
Git-based deployment with auto-build pipeline
📡 Monitoring
Auto-recovery, health checks, uptime alerts
🙏 Thank You
FerryLight System Briefing
ferrylight.online
Markus van Kempen • June 2026