Singapore’s integrated resort Marina Bay Sands has laid claims to being the first in the travel and tourism industry to deploy a fleet of 12 Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for back-of-house deliveries to optimise operations across the hotel and the Sands Expo & Convention Centre.
Similar AMRs are typically deployed for supply chain deliveries in factories around the world.
At Marina Bay Sands, these robots perform a critical but manpower-laborious task of round-the-clock deliveries. Prior to adoption, the integrated resort saw over 200 manual deliveries across 80 routes each day. Between 2019 and 2023, delivery volumes surged by around 35 per cent as operations expanded, leading to the property to explore the use of automation.
The AMRs have helped Marina Bay Sands to cut labour dependency by up to 30 per cent. Procurement and supply chain team members have been re-assigned to higher value tasks, upskilling in areas such as inventory management as well as operating and dispatching the AMRs, ensuring the smooth integration of robots into daily operations.
With close to 20 pre-programmed routes, each AMR can transport a maximum load of 300kg and travel at a top speed of up to 84 metres per minute. Safety laser scanners allow for intelligent wayfinding and obstacle detecting, enabling them to come to a halt in front of obstacles and safely navigate around objects in their path.
Another five AMRs will be programmed and rolled out in the second half of 2025.
Shijith Prathapan, vice president of procurement and supply chain at Marina Bay Sands, said: “Running a large-scale integrated resort like Marina Bay Sands requires effective workforce planning, and since day one, we have fostered a culture of productivity by investing in innovation.
“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.”
