DP World has reduced the risk of injury by 40% across its European portfolio by investing €80 million in key safety practices and equipment upgrades, as well as improving reliability using the latest digital software, according to the company's release.
Combined with innovation and employee experience, DP World’s redefined HSE practices are resulting in a marked improvement in safety, which in turn enhances productivity trade movement across the continent.
Enoma Woghiren, Regional Head of HSSE for DP World Europe, said: “With 20 terminals in 12 countries across the breadth of Europe, and 8,000 staff to care for, we have been guided by our first ever Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Risk annual report, a North Star for our efforts to become a beneficial and safe logistics operator. Our activities across the continent are creating a safety benchmark for us as an organisation and our industry peers in Europe and beyond.”
Facilities in terminals in, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Turkey are prime examples of the innovative DP World approach to reducing safety risk. In Belgium, DP World Antwerp has built a world-first straddle carrier platform and refueling station. The €2 million, 150-metre-high structure was opened in September 2021, allowing drivers to get on and off their tall vehicles safely, while also creating a shielded safe zone for fueling, cleaning and inflating tires. The platform allows drivers to enter the straddle carriers at cab level, thereby removing the risk of them climbing the ladder into the cab. The tire inflation station protects staff from the risk of injury from parts being pushed out due to air pressure and improves productivity by inflating tires in just two minutes rather than 15. The investment in the platform is part of DP World Antwerp’s wider €200 million investment to increase capacity and productivity using an approach that will redefine sustainability at the terminal by continually enhancing safety features and reducing its carbon emissions.
Another such feature which has recently been launched is its Route 1700 mobile app, which protects truck drivers from harm by giving them the option to complete their pre-shift administrative processes before entering the port vicinity where there are lots of moving vehicles.
Elsewhere in the region, DP World Yarimca, Turkey, is finding innovative ways to make safety smarter. This terminal has recently adopted Digital Surveyor, which allows customers and employees to view the work being done on vessels remotely, thereby reducing the number of people on-site and reducing the risk of accidents. The cutting-edge analysis software can inspect and assess safety levels and risk in marine vessels and their cargo. This process is normally carried out by an individual and can take 78-hours a month per vessel. For a small-scale port, this process is repeated 10,360 times for an average of 1,480 containers every month – which equates to significantly reduced capacity and revenue. DP World Yarimca’s new technology is reclaiming all this lost time, while also identifying and reducing potential risks and their related costs. That means safer employees and customers, reduced ongoing costs and increased capacity.
In the Netherlands, Rotterdam World Gateway has invested in more sustainable electric vehicles and has identified the potential risk of an increase in battery fires, which can happen as batteries age or are damaged in any way. To prevent this, the team have built an on-site battery pool, where they can sink at-risk batteries in water until they can be repaired or sustainably disposed of.
DP World is one of the leading providers of smart logistics solutions, enabling the flow of trade across the globe.