Successful real-world trial of BOXBAY high bay storage system completed
- 63,000 container moves carried out at full-size proof of concept installation in Jebel Ali Port
- Data gathered shows BOXBAY is even more efficient than anticipated
- Innovative technology makes possible dramatic improvements to the efficiency of ports
DP World has completed testing of the BOXBAY high bay storage concept at the first full-size facility constructed at the port of Dubai proving that the innovative technology works in the real world. More than 63,000 container moves have been completed since the facility, which can hold 792 containers at a time, was commissioned beginning this year. The test exceeded expectations with BOXBAY faster and more energy efficient than anticipated.
BOXBAY is a Joint Venture between DP World and German industrial engineering specialist SMS group. The system stores containers in slots in a steel rack up to eleven high. It delivers three times the capacity of a conventional yard in which containers are stacked directly on top of each other, meaning the footprint of terminals can be reduced by 70 percent. In BOXBAY containers are moved in, out and between slots by fully electrified and automated cranes built into the structure. Individual containers can be accessed without moving any others. The whole system is designed to be fully powered by solar panels on the roof.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said: “This test proves that BOXBAY can revolutionise how ports and terminals operate. The technology we have developed with our joint venture partner SMS group dramatically expands capacity, increases efficiency, and makes the handling of containers more sustainable. BOXBAY is part of DP World’s vision to apply innovation to enable global trade and be a provider of smart logistics solutions.”
Modifications made during the trial compared to the original design further improved performance and significantly reduce investment required for future installations.
High performance levels of BOXBAY – 19.3 moves per hour at each waterside transfer table to the straddle carrier and 31.8 moves per hour at each landside truck crane – will also reduce the equipment needed in a terminal. Operating costs are also lower than anticipated, with energy costs better by 29 percent, all at significantly reduced maintenance costs.
Mathias Dobner, Chairman and CEO of BOXBAY, said: “BOXBAY and its partner companies are very pleased with the results of the first six months of operation. In important parameters such as performance, reliability, energy consumption and many more our goals have been exceeded by far. For ports worldwide, this innovative and disruptive technology will not only strongly increase their over-the-quay-wall handling volumes and container storage capacity. It also allows them to make a further step towards sustainability, as power regeneration and solar panels on the roof help reduce the CO2 footprint to a minimum.”
For DP World media enquiries, please contact:
Roland Buerk, Head of Media Relations
DP World
Tel: +971 50 6287856
roland.buerk(at)dpworld.com
Hakam Kherallah, Int’l Media Relations Manager
DP World
Tel: +971 50 5522610
hakam.kherallah(at)dpworld.com
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About DP World
We are the leading provider of worldwide smart end-to-end supply chain logistics, enabling the flow of trade across the globe. Our comprehensive range of products and services covers every link of the integrated supply chain – from maritime and inland terminals to marine services and industrial parks as well as technology-driven customer solutions.
We deliver these services through an interconnected global network of 181 business units in 64 countries across six continents, with a significant presence both in high-growth and mature markets. Wherever we operate, we integrate sustainability and responsible corporate citizenship into our activities, striving for a positive contribution to the economies and communities where we live and work.
Our dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 56,000 employees from 140 nationalities are committed to delivering unrivalled value to our customers and partners. We do this by focusing on mutually beneficial relationships – with governments, shippers, traders, and other stakeholders along the global supply chain – relationships built on a foundation of mutual trust and enduring partnership.
We think ahead, anticipate change and deploy industry-leading technology to broaden our vision of more efficient, transparent and resilient world trade. We achieve this by leveraging disruptive innovation to create the smartest and most effective logistics solutions, while ensuring a positive and sustainable impact on economies, societies and our planet.
BOXBAY is an international joint-venture formed by global trade enabler DP World and industrial engineering specialists SMS group and is offering different solutions for container storing and handling by means of High Bay Storage (HBS) systems - a disruptive technology that significantly improves operations at container terminals. BOXBAY gives the answer to the growing volume of goods traffic in sea ports and presents an opportunity to significantly increase supply chain decarbonization. A BOXBAY High Bay Storage system offers an eco-friendly solution and sets new standards in storage capacity, performance, and the digitalization of ports.
