'1st Smart Logistics Center' Certification Awarded to 6 Companies Including Hanjin and CJ Logistics

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Ki Hoon Kim = Logistics facilities of six companies—including Fasto, Hanjin, CJ Logistics, LogisValley SLK, LogisValley Cheonma, and Hanaro TNS—have been certified as South Korea's first Smart Logistics Centers.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 2nd the results of the 1st Smart Logistics Center Certifications aimed at invigorating private investment in advanced logistics facilities.

Certification grades were granted from Grade 1 (the highest) to Grade 5, depending on the level of facility advancement and automation.

In particular, the Ministry explained that courier terminals were evaluated with a primary focus on the degree of automation replacing high-labor-intensity sorting operations.

The logistics facilities certified this time include Fasto's 'Yongin 1 Center' (Preliminary Grade 1), Hanjin's 'Daejeon Mega Hub Terminal' (Preliminary Grade 1), CJ Logistics' 'Mega Hub Gonjiam' (Grade 1), LogisValley SLK's 'Ansan Center' (Grade 3), LogisValley Cheonma's 'Ansan Center' (Grade 3), and Hanaro TNS's 'Dongtan Logistics Center' (Grade 5).

For facilities whose construction is not yet complete, preliminary certification is granted first, followed by main certification in the future.

FASSTO received preliminary Grade 1 certification for Yongin Center 1 on the strength of its technology and ambitious investment plans.

FASSTO plans to internally develop an AI-based logistics operation optimization system, introduce an automated storage and retrieval system where robots automatically pick items, and implement state-of-the-art sorters for the first time as a logistics startup, linking them with autonomous mobile robots.

Hanjin received Preliminary Grade 1 certification for its Daejeon Mega Hub Terminal, which is scheduled for completion next year.

Hanjin plans to automate the entire process from unloading to loading, including sorting and aligning products by size through artificial intelligence shape recognition, and recognizing barcodes to sort and transport them by destination through automated sorters.

CJ Logistics received Grade 1 certification for Mega Hub Gonjiam.

Mega Hub Gonjiam is Asia's largest parcel terminal completed in 2018, processing 1.75 million parcels per day through state-of-the-art automated sorters and other facilities.

Additionally, items dispatched from the fulfillment center on the upper level are automatically dispatched at the parcel terminal on the lower level through inter-floor equipment, reducing delivery time.

The Ansan Centers of LogisValley SLK and LogisValley Cheonma, which received Grade 3 certification, also improved volume processing efficiency and operation accuracy by organically connecting information systems with automated equipment such as automatic waybill attachers, conveyors for apparel hangers, and Piece Assort Systems (PAS).

Hanaro TNS Dongtan Logistics Center received Grade 5 by developing its proprietary logistics system (WINS), which provides integrated control and real-time linkage between headquarters and domestic and overseas hubs.

Certified facilities will receive interest cost support from the government when borrowing project funds required for facility investment. Small and medium-sized enterprises can receive support up to 2 percentage points.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to continue receiving certification applications on an ongoing basis to expand support for superior advanced logistics facilities.

Application methods and detailed information regarding interest subsidies can be checked on the websites of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transport Institute.

Oh Song Cheon, Head of the Advanced Logistics Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "We hope this smart logistics center certification serves as an opportunity for a leap forward toward the modernization of the logistics industry."