Marina Bay Sands deploys autonomous robots for back-of-house deliveries
Commonly used in industrial supply chains, the robots are now operating around the clock at the integrated resort (IR).
Each robot can carry up to 300 kg and travel at a speed of up to 84 metres per minute. The robots operate on nearly 20 pre-programmed routes and are equipped with laser scanners to detect and navigate their way around obstacles.
The shift towards automation followed a 35 per cent increase in delivery volumes between 2019 and 2023, with over 200 manual deliveries made daily across 80 routes.
A team member controls the AMRs via an app to assign tasks, monitor movements and troubleshoot issues. PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS
The AMRs are programmed to enter lifts and disembark at specific floors. PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS
MBS began rolling out the first batch of four robots in March 2024 for hotel deliveries. Another eight were added in September that year to serve both the hotel and the convention centre, and an additional five are scheduled to launch in the second half of 2025.
Since implementation, the robots have reduced labour dependency by up to 30 per cent. Staff from procurement and supply chain teams have been reassigned to inventory management and AMR operations.
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Shijith Prathapan, MBS' vice-president of procurement and supply chain, said that effective workforce planning is key to managing a large-scale IR.
'As we continue to invest in Singapore, we will pursue even more innovative tools to elevate workplace processes together with our suppliers, who have been instrumental in enhancing our productivity,' he added.
MBS has automated over 200 work processes across its operations, including uniform management and food waste handling.
The resort's wardrobe system manages over 200,000 staff uniforms on 18 conveyors operating continuously.
In 2024, MBS upgraded its tracking system by replacing high-frequency chips with ultra-high-frequency ones. The change allows for faster stocktaking. By pushing a trolley of uniforms into a device known as the 'U-Door,' staff can now count up to 400 items in just 30 seconds – a task that was previously done manually.
MBS also completed a two-year pilot of WasteMaster last year, a system that converts food waste into fish feed for a local aquaponics farm.
Waste from the fish is then broken down by bacteria into nitrates, which are used to fertilise vegetables. The produce is sold in selected supermarkets and restaurants. This technology continues to be used in 2025.
Meridith Beaujean, the IR's executive director of sustainability said: 'Through various technologies and best practices, we diverted 65 per cent of our food waste in 2024, and hope to achieve 100 per cent by end-2025.'
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