DP World has completed testing of the BOXBAY high bay storage concept at the first full-size facility constructed at Jebel Ali port in 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.
Modifications made during the trial compared to the original design further improve 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.
About DP World
DP World is the leading provider of worldwide smart end-to-end supply chain logistics, enabling the flow of trade across the globe. The company's 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.