A novel instrument is presented for measuring low-light near-infrared spectra of moving samples (such as objects on a conveyor belt). The spectrometer collects light from the sample as it travels along the conveyor, tracking it electronically using time-delayed integration. This allows it to collect useful spectra from a photon flux of the order of 40 000 photons s(-1) at the detector, roughly six orders of magnitude below the output from a 1000 W quartz-halogen lamp. The system is applicable to most modes of measurement including transmission, reflection, interaction and fluorescence.