DP World announces the first commercial use of Boxbaysystem at South Korea’s Pusan container terminal

Innovative container storage system can process up to 100 container moves per hour

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A Staff Reporter

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Officials at the inauguration of the Boxbay system at Pusan. - Supplied picture
Officials at the inauguration of the Boxbay system at Pusan. - Supplied picture

Published: Wed 8 Mar 2023, 4:31 PM

Last updated: Wed 8 Mar 2023, 5:32 PM

DP World has announced the first commercial use of its revolutionary Boxbay High Bay Storage (HBS) system at South Korea’s Pusan container terminal, the world’s sixth-largest container port.

The technology brings Dubai into the spotlight of the industry globally, as DP World continues to adopt innovative ways to enhance the efficiency and movement of trade. The development of the technology also reflects Dubai’s growing global role in facilitating and streamlining worldwide trade and supply chains.


Pusan Newport Corporation (PNC) and Boxbay FZCO signed a contact on Wednesday initiating the design and engineering works for the site to implement the storage system at the terminal. DP World developed the Boxbay system in a joint venture with German industrial engineering specialists SMS group.

The Boxbay high-bay storage technology will be seamlessly integrated along with the existing mode of ARMG/truck operations as a retrofit on an existing empty storage area. The system allows direct access to each container at any time, eliminating 350,000 unproductive moves per year. This will improve the overall truck servicing time by 20 per cent, further improving PNC service delivery to its customers.


The signing of the contract that took place in Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai was attended by Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, and Burkhard Dahmen, Chairman and CEO of SMS group, the partners behind Boxbay.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said: “If we were to imagine the future of trade, this is where it begins. I’m proud that DP World has led this innovation that will now be adopted in Pusan. The technology reflects our continuous efforts to embrace technologies that enhance the flow of trade and further enhances Dubai’s position as a global leader in the ports and logistics industry.”

Tiemen Meester, COO Ports & Terminals, DP World, said: “It’s a tremendous step forward to announce our first commercial use of Boxbay. The PNC terminal is an exemplary operation that is already technologically advanced and forward focused. With the introduction of the Boxbayhigh-bay storage system, we will be able to better serve our customers while keeping our people safe and cutting carbon emissions from the environment.”

Glen Hilton, CEO & managing director, DP World Asia Pacific & Australasia, said: “We are delighted to see this technology being implemented for the first time worldwide at one of our terminals. Safety, sustainability and efficiency are huge drivers for our business. We look forward to working with the PNC team and the Boxbayengineers to implement this system without any interruption to our current services.”

PNC already operates one of the highest performing container terminals in Asia. The addition of Boxbay’s technology will allow PNC to boost its efficiency even further.

SMS group originally created the storage system to handle heavy metal coils. Having proven the technology in the metals industry, it was refined for port logistics. DP World and SMS Group built a pilot facility at Jebel Ali’s Terminal-4 in January 2021. By the end of June 2022, 190,000 container movements had been carried out under realistic operating conditions to verify the market maturity of the system.

The Boxbaysystem is fully automated and contains additional safety built in features. DP World also intends to power it by using solar power, generated by photovoltaic panels on the roof of the storage system, complementing DP World’s drive to decarbonise operations.

DP World has a 66 per cent stake in PNC, which handled 5.3 million TEUs in 2021. PNC operates in Pusan port, which is the tenth largest in the world.


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