As global urbanization continues to accelerate, land resources are becoming increasingly scarce, and ocean space is emerging as a new frontier for human expansion and development. From offshore wind power platforms and floating docks to future visions of floating cities, the concept of “offshore urban environments” is gradually becoming a reality. However, the marine environment is complex and dynamic, with dispersed infrastructure, difficult maintenance conditions, and highly mobile resources. Traditional management approaches struggle to meet the demands of efficient and refined operations. In this context, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), as a core component of the Internet of Things, is becoming a key enabler of offshore urban operating systems.

Compared with traditional land-based cities, offshore urban systems face multiple operational challenges. Floating platforms and modular structures are widely distributed, making manual inspection costly and inefficient. Harsh environmental factors such as seawater corrosion, salt spray, and strong winds place higher demands on system stability and identification technologies. Meanwhile, material transport and personnel movement rely heavily on vessels or autonomous systems, making real-time monitoring more difficult. In the event of equipment failure or emergencies, rapid localization and response become critical. These challenges essentially stem from limited visibility and traceability—areas where RFID provides an effective solution.

RFID establishes a comprehensive data acquisition network through tags, readers, and backend systems, enabling all assets within an offshore city to have unique digital identities. Floating building modules, energy equipment, vessels, emergency supplies, and personnel gear can all be tagged and managed. Technologies such as UHF RFID sticker solutions allow fast deployment across diverse surfaces, transforming isolated physical entities into interconnected digital nodes within a unified system.

In practical operation, RFID systems continuously capture dynamic data on infrastructure and resources. By deploying readers at ports, storage areas, and key operational nodes—or integrating with autonomous inspection robots and unmanned vessels—the system can monitor equipment status, track material flows, and manage personnel distribution in real time. For example, directional RFID reader devices installed at docking points can automatically detect incoming shipments, enabling contactless receiving and real-time inventory updates while minimizing human error.

With RFID-generated data, offshore city management can shift from reactive responses to proactive, data-driven decision-making. Systems can automatically trigger replenishment alerts based on inventory levels, schedule maintenance based on equipment usage, and optimize personnel and logistics routing. For instance, when a critical component approaches its maintenance cycle, the system can generate a task and assign the nearest available maintenance resource, significantly improving operational efficiency.

In floating infrastructure management, RFID enables lifecycle tracking for each module, including manufacturing data, deployment location, connection relationships, and maintenance history. When modules are relocated or reconfigured, the system updates structural information in real time, allowing the entire offshore city to be visualized dynamically. This capability is essential for managing large-scale modular offshore developments.

In logistics and warehousing, RFID enhances automation and transparency across the offshore supply chain. Materials can be tracked throughout transportation, storage, and distribution, providing real-time visibility into inventory levels. Combined with RFID warehouse management systems, offshore platforms can achieve more accurate stock control and efficient resource allocation, even in remote marine environments.

RFID also plays a vital role in energy system management. Offshore cities often rely on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, where equipment is widely distributed and difficult to maintain. By tagging each component and recording operational and maintenance data, RFID enables rapid fault identification and more efficient maintenance planning, improving system reliability and performance.

In terms of personnel management and safety, RFID enables identity verification, access control, and real-time location tracking. In emergency situations, the system can quickly identify personnel locations and support rescue operations, significantly enhancing safety management. This transition from manual tracking to system-driven visibility is crucial in high-risk offshore environments.

Additionally, in response to extreme weather events or equipment failures, RFID systems can rapidly inventory emergency supplies and coordinate resource allocation. When integrated with command systems, they can optimize response routes and improve coordination efficiency, enabling faster and more effective emergency management.

Despite its significant potential, RFID deployment in offshore environments faces technical challenges. Signal interference caused by seawater and metal structures requires the use of anti-metal tags and optimized antenna designs. Limited communication infrastructure can be addressed through satellite connectivity and edge computing for localized data processing. Power supply and maintenance challenges can be mitigated through low-power designs and renewable energy solutions.

Looking ahead, RFID will increasingly integrate with technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, and blockchain, driving offshore cities toward higher levels of intelligence. From simple identification to predictive maintenance and autonomous decision-making, RFID will form the foundational layer of smart offshore infrastructure.

Offshore cities represent not just an expansion of physical space, but a transformation in how cities operate. By giving every asset and resource a traceable digital identity, RFID makes complex systems more visible, manageable, and efficient. As offshore urban environments evolve toward self-aware and self-regulating ecosystems, humanity’s interaction with the ocean will enter a new era of intelligent development.