DP World celebrates milestone with completion of the first 10,000 moves of BoxBay container high bay store system
- Test facility in Jebel Ali, Dubai, proves BoxBay concept works
- Disruptive technology could revolutionalize container storage around the world
- Enables yards to store many more containers and access them more efficiently
DP World, the Dubai-based enabler of worldwide smart end-to-end supply chain logistics, together in a Joint Venture called BoxBay with the German industrial engineering specialist SMS group GmbH, has successfully completed the first 10,000 container moves in the BoxBay high bay store system at Jebel Ali Port.
The milestone demonstrates the disruptive technology concept works, and makes possible dramatic changes to the way containers are handled in ports around the world. Construction of the test facility with 792 container slots was completed in July last year in Terminal 4 of Jebel Ali Port in Dubai.
BoxBay is a patented automated container handling system that stores containers up to eleven stories high in steel racks. It delivers more than three times the capacity of a conventional yard, so the footprint of terminals can be reduced by up to 70 percent. The system is designed to run automatically and enables any container to be accessed individually without moving any other.
Traditionally containers are stacked one on top of the other in rows meaning many containers have to be moved to access containers lower down in the stacks. BoxBay is designed to be fully electrified and can be powered by solar panels on its roof.
The technology behind BoxBay was originally developed by SMS group for handling of metal coils that weigh as much as 50 tonnes in racks as high as 50 meters. The system will be demonstrated to the public during “EXPO2020” in Dubai in October 2021.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said: “The completion of the first 10,000 moves demonstrates that the BoxBay concept works in the real world. This technology has the potential to revolutionise how ports and terminals operate around the world. BoxBay adds value for our operations and customers and demonstrates DP World’s strengths as a global provider of smart and innovative logistics solutions”.
Mathias Dobner, Chairman and CEO of BoxBay, said: “We have been making great progress in setting up the system in Terminal 4. Usually, when setting up a new plant or system, you first have to run practical tests to find out where further optimization will be needed – especially, when the system you are building is the very first one of its type, as is the case with BoxBay. In order to enhance the reliability of the technology, we have been thoroughly analyzing the information collected by our warehouse management system. These were immense amounts of data. But they enabled us to make adjustments continuously wherever necessary. BoxBay has set out to revolutionize global supply chains”
Klaus Poeggeler, General Site Manager of SMS group company AMOVA GmbH said: “Seeing the new system set up within just one year was really impressive. Nevertheless, safety of the teams on site has always had top priority. “We didn’t have a single accident during the complete assembly and installation phase – not even a cut in a finger.”
For DP World media enquiries, please contact:
Roland Buerk, Head of Media Relations
DP World
Tel: +971 50 6287856
Hakam Kherallah, Int’l Media Relations Manager
DP World
Tel: +971 50 5522610
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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 136 business units in 61 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 53,360 employees from 137 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 digital technology to further broaden our vision to disrupt world trade and create the smartest, most efficient and innovative solutions, while ensuring a positive and sustainable impact on economies, societies and our planet.
SMS group is a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry. It has some 14,000 employees who generate worldwide sales of more than EUR 2.9 billion. The sole owner of the holding company SMS GmbH is the Familie Weiss Foundation.
