DP World’s Gateway to the Future

E-commerce is poised to grow in the region, with transactions in the UAE set to reach $16 billion this year alone. In 2018, it was the highest funded sector in the MENA region. Moreover, the global logistics market is set to reach USD 12.68 billion by 2023, according to Research and Markets’ report.

In light of the growing e-commerce sector, the logistics market will need to evolve to address market needs, especially in the area of efficiency and speed.

We are already seeing robots take over warehouses at the micro level. However, at the macro level, there is still a gap in efficiency.

At GITEX Technology Week 2019, DP World showcased three breakthrough technology advancements that are set to disrupt the logistics market. Check them out below:

One of the major hurdles to efficiency and speed at ports since decades is the inability for machines to directly access to any sea containers. They need to reshuffle containers whenever one is needed, taking up time and space.

DP’s Bay Box Storage stacks 11 shipping containers into vertical columns, which is three time the size currently used. Moreover, it stores each container into a vertical column that can be accessed and retrived directly through an automated system of moving machines without the need to shuffle containers.

This new system is expected to see 200 percent more capacity at DP world’s terminals compared to other conventional ones, effectively increasing the capacity to 2.5 times more containers per hector.

Furthermore, DP World will be able to efficiently transfer containers across terminals through the use of external trucks, as demonstrated in the video above. This is expected to greatly reduce the traffic congestion within JAFZA/DP WORLD Terminals for container movement between T1, T2 and T3.

The introduction of the Twist lock bot, a robotic arm that can smartly handle different types of locks on internal trucks, will reduce human activity at the pinning stations. In addition to enhancing productivity, as the robotic arm is 20% faster than humans, it will also improve safety of human workers at the terminals.

The Twist lock bot can remove and engage twist locks that are on containers, without the need for human intervention.

Last year, DP World joined the global shipping and port operations blockchain consortium to enable collaborative innovation and the digital transformation of the supply chain and logistics sector.

Blockchain has immence potential to bring more transparency, trust, traceability and accountability to the space, which will help the SME logistics companies to reduce risk and improve operations.

In line with Dubai's Blockchain Strategy, DP World's blockchain project is set to speed up the automation of the operations and processes, while improving security.