DP World is investing £170 million in container handling technology at its London Gateway logistics hub, marking a major step toward greater automation and digitalisation in port operations.
At the heart of this investment is the Empty Superstack, a system developed by BOXBAY, a joint venture between DP World and Germany’s SMS group. Using High Bay Storage (HBS) technology, it can store 20- and 40-foot empty containers up to 16 tiers high in a fully enclosed, automated facility—operating like a giant vending machine for containers.
Fully electric stacker cranes retrieve and deliver containers automatically, improving safety and yard capacity while cutting emissions. The modular system integrates seamlessly with existing port operations and removes multiple tiers of empty containers from the automated stacking crane yard, reducing rehandling and increasing quay performance.
Installed at London Gateway’s new all-electric Berth 4, the BOXBAY Empty Superstack will accommodate up to 27,000 TEU and will take just over two years to complete.
“BOXBAY represents a leap forward in how ports manage container storage—scalable, automated, and sustainable,” said Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World. Stephen Whittingham, Executive Vice President for North Europe, added that the project “underscores DP World’s commitment to innovation,” improving reliability, reducing truck turnaround times, and enhancing safety.
Proven in trials at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, where it handled nearly 500,000 TEU, BOXBAY’s success signals DP World’s vision to redefine efficiency, sustainability, and safety in global port logistics.
