Geek+ and Engero create world’s first fully automated intelligent cold chain port warehouse

Geek+, the global AMR leader, together with comprehensive solution provider Engero, have deployed a fleet of Geek+’s moving robots to create a smart, unmanned cold chain port warehouse in the port of Tianjin, one of China’s largest and busiest. Thanks to Geek+’s solutions, the warehouse has seen improvements of 35% in storage, 42% in handling efficiency, and to 99.99% in handling accuracy.

Thanks to globalization, the cold chain logistics market is heating up as consumers pursue quality, fresh ingredients. Tianjin, the gateway to Beijing and a hub for China’s massive import and export businesses, is the first stop in China’s cold chain logistics network, and here, the trend is plain to see: The new smart cold chain warehouse provides low-temperature warehousing and other services in an area of over 30,000 square meters.

Geek+’s highly flexible autonomous mobile robots and advanced algorithm strategies are the twin engines driving the improvement and modernization of cold chain warehouse. Due to the extreme conditions, manual operations are by nature not well-suited to cold chain logistics operations and quickly become inefficient and even dangerous. Geek+’s AMRs can operate stably at low temperatures 24 hours a day, seven days a week, reducing the need for people to endure extreme, unpleasant working conditions

A further benefit of robotic automation of cold chain logistics is a reduction in risks to workers’ health and goods safety. Upon arrival in the port, goods requiring cold chain storage are carried by Geek+’s MP1000R moving robots to the depot area for customs inspection and disinfection, before entering the storage area for further processing and distribution.

AI algorithms optimize the robots’ routes with intelligent queuing strategies to avoid traffic jams in narrow passages and drive efficient cluster scheduling. 360° laser obstacle avoidance and omnidirectional sensing allows the MP1000Rs to navigate in narrow aisles, maximizing storage space density and further ensuring worker safety. The robot’s self-rotating jack allows for great flexibility with minimal space occupied when moving pallets, meaning that warehouses can be upgraded with a minimum of fuss.

Geek+’s artificial intelligence is seamlessly integrated into the warehouse control system and oversees the operations of the whole fleet. The warehouse operates under the "cloud warehouse" management mode and all process data can be traced. This enables centralized inventory management, online billing, and real-time information flows, which greatly improve efficiency and makes it easy to keep tabs on the whole process.

The facility in Tianjin is the world’s first fully-automated cold chain port warehouse, but it is far from the last.