DP World to study ‘hyperloop’ container transport

DP World says it is looking into the possibility of using high-speed hyperloop technology to transport containers from Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port to a planned inland storage depot. The Dubai-based port operator will soon launch a feasibility study on the merits of building a hyperloop tube at its flagship port in the UAE. DP World has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Los Angeles-based firm Hyperloop One for the study, a statement said.

“The initial study will focus on efficient handling of containers, costs, benefits, demand and volume patterns of moving cargo using the new technology,” the port operator said. A hyperloop uses a subsonic propulsion tube inside a low-pressure pipe to propel passengers or cargo between two stations at speeds of up to 1,200km/h. “The world is changing at a pace never seen before in our history and we intend to be part of a new revolution in transport, connecting markets and economies around the world,” DP World group chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem was quoted as saying. “This is an example of leading innovation in our industry and pushing the boundaries in the delivery of goods. The potential to use these kinds of technologies in emerging markets outside the UAE such as Africa and Asia… is significant,” he added.

DP World is not the first company in the UAE to explore hyperloop technology. Earlier this month, the Dubai Future Foundation announced a gathering of top global engineers in Dubai next month for a 48-hour competition to design a futuristic hyperloop transport system.