The HBS system employs high bay racking technology that is used in warehouses and distribution centres and was initially developed to solve capacity constraints at existing box terminals.
DP World and German cargo handling technology firms Amova and SMS earlier this year unveiled plans for deployment of the first HBS system in a port terminal. Being marketed as BoxBay, the system will be installed at the new Terminal 4 of DP World’s Jebel Ali Port, due to open ahead of Expo 2020 Dubai next year.
Under the HBS concept each box is “suspended” on its own platform, which means the stacks can go up to 11-high – as opposed to the more normal five - and each container can be accessed independently wherever it is in the stack.
Besides providing savings in space, the system could also help deal more efficiently with less-than-container load (LCL) shipments that are expected to grow dramatically – especially in regions such as Latin America and Africa, where it is very expensive to ship full-container loads (FCLs), Bol explained to the conference taking place as part of TOC Europe event.
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