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A historic agreement has been signed between DP World and US-based Hyperloop One. In August, the two companies announced a deal to explore how the futuristic Hyperloop technology might help move cargo quickly, safely and reliably from ships docked at Jebel Ali port to a new container depot 29 km inland.
A dedicated Hyperloop tube with pods cycling through several times a minute could help DP World free up valuable space on the quay side and relieve Dubai’s roads of congestion. As an all-electric, emission-free technology, a Hyperloop cargo off loader would also eliminate a great deal of carbon emissions and other pollutants, it is claimed
“This is about testing in real terms how much it costs and how much we can save because if it works in Dubai, we will do it in Africa, India and across Asia,” said H.E. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive officer, DP World. “I believe in the Hyperloop – it’s the future.”
The feasibility study will investigate the business case, route options and cost to build and operate the system. A Hyperloop tube could tunnel underground or fit within existing rights of way, minimising the impact on the Dubai metropolis. An even bolder solution being considered would involve Hyperloop tubes being submerged under water to connect Jebel Ali’s new island Terminal 4 to onshore destinations.
Hyperloop One’s deal with DP World is its fifth feasibility study to date and its first in the Gulf region. Other studies are underway in Finland and Sweden, Russia, Switzerland, and the United States. The one in the US is a similar cargo study being done in partnership with the engineering firm, AECOM, to use Hyperloop technology to offload containers from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
