DP World announced the successful completion of a test of the BOXBAY high bay storage concept at the first full-scale facility, which was built at Dubai's Jebel Ali port.

The Emirati multinational logistics said the test proves that the innovative technology works in the real world.

It noted that 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 also exceeded expectations with BOXBAY faster and more energy efficient than anticipated, the company said.

BOXBAY is a joint venture between DP World and SMS Group, a German industrial engineering firm. Containers are stored in slots on a steel rack that can hold up to eleven containers. It has three times the capacity of a traditional yard, which stacks containers directly on top of each other, resulting in a 70% reduction in terminal footprint.

Individual containers may be accessible without requiring any other containers to be moved. The entire system is meant to run entirely on solar panels mounted on the roof.

"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," said Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World.

DP World noted that 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%, all at significantly reduced maintenance costs.

"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," commented Mathias Dobner, Chairman and CEO of BOXBAY.

"For ports worldwide, this innovative and disruptive technology will not only increase their over-the-quay-wall handling volumes and container storage capacity, but will also allow 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," he added.