(Yicai Global) Nov. 17 -- Hangzhou's first automated delivery sorting system entered official operations on Nov. 11 this year, ramping up efficiency to 20,000 parcels per hour, or 300,000 a day, state-owned China News Service reported yesterday.

Based in Hangzhou's 3,000-square-meter mail processing center, the robotic system comprises 700 small robots, 600 receiving ports, chutes and other equipment. When in operation, the smaller bots move along the chute to deliver parcels to the receiving port, with each port corresponding to a Chinese city.

"It's more automated than traditional automation equipment," said Chen Chao, project leader for the system. "It can double sorting efficiency, almost halving the number of staff required. It's also 100 percent accurate," he added.

The system's theoretical maximum work rate is 36,000 parcels per hour. Once it settles in there will still be scope to improve output by more than 50 percent.