DP World is investing GBP170 million (US$226 million) in High Bay Storage technology at its London Gateway logistics hub to enhance container handling automation and digitisation, reports Saint Petersburg's PortNews.

The BOXBAY Empty Superstack system will manage 20- and 40-foot empty containers stacked up to 16 tiers high in an enclosed automated facility. It is designed to improve yard capacity, safety and efficiency by automating container retrieval and delivery.

Developed by BOXBAY, a joint venture between DP World and Germany's SMS group, the system uses fully electric stacker cranes and requires no changes to landside or seaside interfaces.

The modular design reduces rehandling and boosts quay performance. DP World expects faster truck turnaround times and higher terminal productivity once the system is installed at the new all-electric Berth 4.

The facility will have a capacity of up to 27,000 TEU and is scheduled for completion in just over two years. BOXBAY was previously tested at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, where nearly 500,000 TEU were handled.

DP World said BOXBAY's energy regeneration and modular features make it one of the most advanced and sustainable container handling systems available.

DP World operates ports, terminals and logistics services in over 60 countries. BOXBAY FZCO focuses on High Bay Storage systems, while SMS group GmbH provides industrial and digitisation solutions for manufacturing and logistics sectors.