Making moves for the future

World map showing Singapore logistics routes

Intro

Making moves
for the future

JUN 24, 2026 | 10-MIN READ

Discover the innovations in Singapore's logistics industry that keep us at the forefront of smart and green logistics.

Time-Sensitive Vaccine

Delicate

Perishable Salmon

Intro

A piece of circuitry.
The latest vaccines.
The freshest seafood.

These are just three examples of millions of items that pass through the Singapore logistics ecosystem every month.

And while most of us may never see what happens behind a port or warehouse, Singapore's logistics ecosystem shapes how reliably goods arrive, how businesses operate, and how we stay connected to global trade.

Logistics
Performance
Index

S$1.4T

Total merchandise trade

Intro

Future-proofing our
logistics ecosystem

Singapore is one of the world's most trusted trade
hubs. It ranks #1 on the Logistics Performance
Index by World Bank Group, and in 2025, our total
merchandise trade reached S$1.4 trillion.

More than ever, the goods that are moved through
Singapore are high-value, time-sensitive, and
delicate. From pharmaceuticals needing cold-chain
handling, to hair-thin circuitry, to machinery weighing
tonnes –
our ports, depots, and warehouses are
continuously improving their handling capabilities
for such goods.

Here are three ways we're future-proofing our movement of goods.

Shift 1 Smarter Movement

Shift 2 Automation

Shift 3 Going Green

SHIFT 1

Smart Systems
of the Future

Supported by Enterprise
Singapore

The Container Tracking
System, alongside other fleet management systems, helps hauliers track their vehicles.

Today, there are systems that integrate information across hauliers and trucks, enabling them to share delivery jobs.

Shift 1: Smarter Movement

Smarter movement
of containers

Large numbers of containers move in and
out of our ports daily. Keeping everything
running smoothly takes careful planning and coordination behind the scenes.

Singapore is enhancing how container
movements are planned and tracked through increased digitalisation and systems integration. This allows operators to share delivery jobs, reduce unnecessary trips to and from the port, and ensure goods move efficiently and sustainably across the supply chain.

Shift 1: Smarter Movement

Innovating for
tomorrow

Looking ahead, Singapore will build a more integrated data ecosystem for container movements, enabling full visibility of container flows across all nodes. This would also leverage AI and other digital solutions to optimise scheduling, job allocation, and routing in response to real-time conditions, making logistics operations smoother and more efficient overall.

Shift 1: Smarter Movement

Not every shipment
has the same
requirements

Some goods need special handling, precise timing, or controlled conditions to stay safe and in good condition. Having different types of containers ensures we can handle these varied needs efficiently and move all types of cargo across the island and around the world with care and precision.

Different Types
of Containers

Dry Container

Time-critical goods

like vaccines, emergency relief supplies, and essential machinery parts

Refrigerated

Temperature-sensitive goods

such as perishables and produce that require cold-chain capabilities

Tank Container

Flat Rack

Vibration-sensitive goods

like chemicals, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and medical equipment

SHIFT 2

Shift 2: Automation

Automation of warehouses and depots

Transporting containers is only part of the ecosystem. Our warehouses and depots are also continuously improving how goods are stored and retrieved through automation.
This optimises land and manpower utilisation, operating efficiency, and safety.

Scroll on to see some examples of automation around the island.

ESR, a real asset
investment group,
is developing a multi-
storey warehouse and
automated container
depot in one facility.

Designed with Allied Container, a homegrown container depot operator, the facility leverages an automated container storage and retrieval system to store shipping containers more efficiently. This is expected to realise 67% savings in land utilisation, improve operating efficiency by 30%, and reduce turnaround time by truckers by over 66%.

Logistics company Katoen Natie is investing in a fully automated storage and retrieval system at Jurong Island,

designed to enhance
storage density and boost
its storage capacity by
more than 20%.

Autonomous
mobile robots

are integrated into the warehouse workflows for tasks like pallet lifting and towing of heavy goods to improve efficiency and safety.

SHIFT 3

Shift 3: Going Green

Greener logistics

Having a sustainable supply chain is no longer just a "good-to-have" for logistics companies. It has become an essential pillar in every business strategy for long-term resilience and growth.

With the global logistics industry accounting for 11% of the world's emissions, the logistics industry is working closely to decarbonise the industry with green initiatives and innovations, so that it remains a world-class trade and logistics hub.

The Little Red Dot’s

Big Green Initiatives in Logistics

FairPrice Group

began using a fully driverless autonomous
vehicle (AV), remotely supervised, on public
roads for its supply chain operations.
This is expected to lower its carbon dioxide
emissions by 27 tonnes per year.
The vehicles will also reduce time spent
on manual tasks, such as loading and
unloading, and support its workers to perform more complex work.

The Little Red Dot’s

Big Green Initiatives in Logistics

EcoSwift,

an electric commercial vehicle distributor, launched a fully automated Battery Charge and Swap system which allows electric heavy commercial vehicles to replace depleted batteries with fully charged ones
in five minutes, compared to hours of conventional charging. The station also uses less land than conventional high-speed chargers to serve the same number of electric trucks within the same time.

The Little Red Dot’s

Big Green Initiatives in Logistics

RedLion2,

a smart and sustainable logistics facility at Tampines LogisPark, is Singapore's largest solar-powered logistics hub. Measuring a whopping 1.2 million square feet, the facility is able to produce 15% more energy than it consumes.

100%

Campus Energy
Consumption

115%

Campus Energy
Generation

The Little Red Dot’s

Big Green Initiatives in Logistics

Commonwealth
Kokubu Logistics

has adopted ammonia-based refrigeration for 80% of its cold-chain operations. Using ammonia as a refrigerant is a more efficient and environmentally friendly option that does not contribute to global warming.

Ammonia as refrigerant

✓ Environmentally-friendlier than hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
✓ More efficient heat extractions
✓ Ozone depletion potential: 0

Asia's trade backbone,
Singapore's strength

Today, moving goods from point A to point B is
faster, smarter and greener than ever before.

So the next time you eagerly unbox a parcel
that arrived safely and on time, remember the
vast ecosystem of people, technology and
infrastructure working seamlessly behind the scenes to make it possible.

More from Singapore Inc

Explore All

These students became startup founders in 8 weeks. Here’s what they learnt

JUN 29, 2026 | 7-MIN READ

Powering ahead: Singapore’s path to cleaner energy

JAN 21, 2026 | 5-MIN READ

Bet you didn’t know these 3 brands were born in Singapore

FEB 20, 2026 | 5-MIN READ

Making moves for the future

Making moves
for the future

A piece of circuitry.
The latest vaccines.
The freshest seafood.

Future-proofing our logistics ecosystem

Future-proofing our
logistics ecosystem

Here are three ways we're future-proofing our movement of goods.

Shift 1: Smarter movement of containers

Smarter movement
of containers

Innovating for
tomorrow

Not every shipment
has the same
requirements

Different Types
of Containers

Shift 2: Automation of warehouses and depots

Automation of warehouses and depots

ESR, a real asset
investment group,
is developing a multi-
storey warehouse and
automated container
depot in one facility.