London, United Kingdom – 23 October 2025: DP World is rolling out a major automation and digitisation upgrade at its London Gateway logistics hub with the introduction of the “Empty Superstack” system, developed through its joint-venture BOXBAY (with Germany’s SMS Group). The investment totals £170 million, expecting significant improvements in yard capacity, operational safety, and efficiency.
The new system uses High Bay Storage (HBS) technology to stack 20-foot and 40-foot empty containers up to 16 tiers within a fully enclosed, automated facility. Fully-electric stacker cranes retrieve and deliver containers with precision, operating like a “giant vending machine” for empties, reducing the need for manual re-handling and enabling the automated stacking crane (ASC) yard to operate with fewer constraints.
Installation of the Empty Superstack will take place at London Gateway’s new all-electric Berth 4 and will feature a storage capacity of up to 27,000 TEU for empty containers. The modular facility is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing landside and seaside interfaces, meaning no major changes to surrounding infrastructure are required. The project is scheduled for completion in just over two years.
The BOXBAY system has already been tested at DP World’s Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, where it has handled nearly 500,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) of empty containers.
