DP World’s “Atlas” Service Slashes Produce Transit by Two Days

DP World will begin offering the “Atlas” service from Morocco to UK and North Europe, cutting export times for fruit and vegetable shipments by up to two days when operations commence in November 2025. The maritime corridor will link the Moroccan ports of Agadir and Casablanca with DP World’s London Gateway and Antwerp Gateway terminals via two dedicated vessels, offering a faster, more cost-effective, and lower-carbon alternative to over-the-road transport.

This new route is expected to transfer up to 150,000 tonnes of fresh produce annually from trucks to ships, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 250 kg CO₂ per tonne-kilometre—a decrease of around 70% compared with traditional road haulage.

By offering faster and smoother delivery, the “Atlas” service from Morocco to UK and North Europe provides a more reliable logistics option. It circumvents issues such as traffic congestion, border delays and instances of vandalism, which frequently compromise delicate produce like tomatoes and blueberries.

To support the service, DP World has rolled out a substantial investment in refrigerated and general-cargo containers: 1,250 new reefer units plus 1,000 40-foot high-cube and 750 20-foot dry containers. Customers will benefit from full end-to-end supply-chain visibility via the CARGOES digital platform.

According to DP World, Morocco currently exports more than 6.5 million metric tonnes of fruit and vegetables to Western Europe annually, with volumes rising at over 20% year-on-year—making improved logistics more urgent than ever.

DP World Europe’s managing director and chief executive, Rashid Abdulla, emphasised that the service’s pillars of reliability, fast transit and modern IT platform make it a viable alternative to trucking, delivering better-quality produce at lower cost and with markedly reduced emissions. Markus Rodatz, chief operating officer for Freight Europe at DP World, highlighted the company’s commitment to developing smarter, more sustainable and more resilient supply chains, noting the new route helps growers and retailers meet environmental targets.