PERANCANGAN SISTEM IOT GUNA MONITORINGTEMPERATUR DAN KELEMBAPAN MUATAN BATU BARA PADA MV. BULK BATAVIA

Abstract

Coal as a bulk cargo has the potential to undergo spontaneous heating (self-heating) due to oxidation processes influenced by temperature and humidity inside the cargo hold. On board MV. Bulk Batavia, cargo condition monitoring is still conducted manually and periodically, resulting in temperature and humidity fluctuations that are not observed in real time. Previous studies have generally focused on IoT-based monitoring systems in warehouses or land-based storage facilities, while the implementation of real-time and continuous monitoring systems for coal cargo on ships remains limited. Based on this condition, this study aims to design an Internet of Things (IoT)-based monitoring system to measure coal cargo temperature and humidity in real time and continuously in order to detect early symptoms of self-heating and maintain cargo quality during the voyage. This research employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using a prototype model through stages of needs analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The system was developed using an ESP32 microcontroller, a PT100 temperature sensor integrated with the MAX31865 module, an SHT31 humidity sensor, an I2C LCD, a buzzer as an alarm indicator, a 5V cooling fan, and the Blynk application for remote monitoring. Testing results showed average temperature and humidity changes of 7.44 °C and −4.4%, respectively, in charcoal briquette simulations, and 6.24 °C and −3.2% in heat gun simulations. The threshold test confirmed that the system automatically activated the alarm when the temperature exceeded 55 °C with a 100% success rate and no false alarms or error. A four-hour stability and endurance system test demonstrated low standard deviation values of 0.33 °C for temperature and 0.89% for humidity, indicating minimal fluctuations and stable sensor readings without significant deviation, as well as stable Blynk connectivity without data loss. Validation results indicated a feasibility score of 98.67% from nautical and IoT experts and 95.8% from 20 nautical cadets, both categorized as “Highly Appropriate.” This research demonstrates that the designed IoT-based monitoring system satisfies functional, technical, and operational criteria as an early warning system for detecting initial signs of self-heating and preventing the degradation of coal cargo quality through real-time and continuous monitoring of temperature and humidity in the cargo hold. Future work is recommended to include the integration of gas sensors, the implementation of backup power systems, and the addition of visual indicators at critical temperature thresholds to enhance monitoring effectiveness in ship operational environments. Keywords: Coal; Humidity; Internet of Things; Self-heating; and Temperature.