Russia's Sheremetyevo Airport Completes Full Shift to Domestic Baggage Systems

Russia's largest airport, Sheremetyevo, has fully replaced Western automated baggage handling systems with domestic software and equipment, marking the completion of a major import substitution project. The transition, conducted between 2023 and 2026 by the Russian company Rexoft, involved phasing out solutions from Canada, Germany, France, and the Netherlands and unifying the airport's baggage transport under a single domestic control system.

The new system manages transfer baggage between Sheremetyevo's northern terminal complex (terminals B and C) and southern terminal complex (terminals D, E, and F), connected by a specialized underground tunnel over two kilometers long that runs beneath the runway. The integration required significant reverse engineering and research and development work due to the unique configuration of the tunnel-based transport system. According to Rexoft, only five similar systems exist worldwide, with Sheremetyevo's being the sole example in Russia—featuring over 29 kilometers of conveyor lines, multiple sorters, and temporary storage warehouses.

The replacement was carried out in stages: the baggage system at terminal D was switched to Russian software in 2024, followed by terminal E in 2025. Later, the joint IT team from Sheremetyevo and Rexoft replaced the dynamic baggage transport system in the tunnel, originally manufactured by Germany's Beumer Group. The project also involved integrating equipment and software from various manufacturers to ensure seamless operation.

The newly implemented system has passed all performance tests and meets required specifications, capable of handling over 20,000 pieces of baggage per day with an average delivery time of seven minutes through the two-kilometer tunnel. Operators now benefit from interactive individual movement control and flexible switching between terminals within the unified system, providing the airport with full oversight of its baggage management.

The completion of this project underscores Russia's broader efforts to reduce dependence on foreign technology in critical infrastructure, particularly in the aviation sector.