Digitizing the Cold Chain
Russia is developing a digital twin of an industrial cold-storage facility that will make it possible to monitor fish inventories and forecast stock levels in real time.
Sberbank PJSC and FishStat LLC, the company behind the FishStat platform, are launching a project to create a digital twin of an industrial cold-storage facility for fish supply management. The system is designed to synchronize with physical operations, collect data from temperature sensors, forecast storage capacity utilization, and respond instantly to deviations from required storage conditions. Unlike conventional inventory software, the virtual model shows the quantity of products in storage in real time and helps forecast how inventory levels will change. The technology relies on warehouse management systems, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and analytics platforms.
One Platform for Warehousing, Trade, and Logistics
FishStat is a business-to-business (B2B) platform where fishing companies, seafood processors, traders, and logistics providers can conduct transactions online. The virtual cold-storage model will connect inventory data with commercial operations. In September 2026, Sber and FishStat agreed to integrate the platform with Freight Exchange, a service developed by one of the bank's subsidiaries. The combined product will create a unified environment for finding transportation, preparing documents, and settling payments. Digital replicas of refrigerated storage areas will complement shipment data with information about the actual quantity of available inventory.
Algorithms Overcome Geographic Barriers
Inventory and logistics management systems like this are particularly valuable to Russia's fishing industry because of the country's geography. Major fishing grounds are concentrated in the Far East and the North, while most consumers live in the European part of the country. Shipping routes are long, and any lack of coordination among supply-chain participants adds costs and increases the risk of cargo spoilage. Uneven warehouse utilization makes the problem worse: during peak fishing seasons, ports run short of available storage space, while cold-storage facilities sit idle in the off-season. In early February 2026, for example, fish terminal utilization in Primorsky Krai was just 31–38%. Algorithms can help operators allocate shipments more efficiently, plan storage capacity in advance, and reduce transport downtime.
The market is substantial. In 2025, Russian companies harvested 4.7 million metric tons of aquatic biological resources and exported 2.1 million metric tons. The industry's turnover exceeded 1.2 trillion rubles (about $14,8 billion). Export revenue reached $6.1 billion. The main export destinations were China, South Korea, the Netherlands, Belarus, Japan, and Kazakhstan. For international buyers, access to reliable information about storage conditions and product availability could give Russian suppliers an additional competitive advantage.
From Catch to Consumer, All in One System
The new project already has an established user base. By September 2026, more than 250 companies and over 800 users had registered on FishStat, including fishing and seafood processing companies, traders, logistics providers, and cold-storage operators. Fishing companies and retailers will be able to see exactly how much product is physically in storage and what portion is ready for sale.
Transparency across the supply chain is also improving at the government level. Integration of the systems operated by the Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo), the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor), and the Chestny ZNAK product-labeling system was completed in late 2025, making it possible to track fish from harvest to retail. Since April 2026, consumers have been able to check the origin of canned fish using a mobile app.
From Simulation to Industrial Deployment
Russian and international companies are already using virtual warehouse models. China focused on building out the physical infrastructure of its cold chain in 2022. In 2023–2024, developers LogistiX and BIA Technologies introduced simulation-modeling solutions. By 2026, the technology had moved into industrial deployment. One notable example is TECHNONICOL Corporation, which launched a virtual warehouse model at its plant in Serpukhov in spring 2026. Deployment of a similar system at the company's facility in Ryazan began that fall.
Beyond the Seafood Industry
The joint project by Sber and FishStat is advancing this approach by adapting it to the stringent storage requirements of perishable goods. If the digital twin proves effective, similar systems could eventually be used in the meat and dairy industries, pharmaceutical logistics, and frozen-food retail. The technology could also help advance Russian IT solutions for food logistics. In time, a virtual cold-storage facility could become a standalone software product for international fish-terminal operators and major seafood suppliers. In May 2026, FishStat had already presented its platform's capabilities for expanding seafood exports, including tools for registering foreign companies and neural-network-powered translation focused on Asian markets.
