18 November 2014 – The fourth Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference (ALMC) opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre with more than 1,600 business leaders from over 30 countries and regions taking part. The two-day ALMC will hear from more than 50 distinguished speakers about the challenges and opportunities facing the logistics and maritime sectors.
Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong SAR Government, ALMC is the largest event of its kind in Asia, highlighting Hong Kong’s position as a logistics and shipping hub in the region.
During this morning’s Opening Ceremony, Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive CY Leung spoke about the important role that Hong Kong’s shipping industry plays in China’s overall development.
“China’s 12th Five-Year Plan expressly supports Hong Kong position as an international maritime centre,” Mr Leung said. “Hong Kong’s port remains one of the world’s busiest, and the Hong Kong Shipping Register is the world’s fourth-largest, its gross tonnage at 91 million. Hong Kong companies own or manage 9 per cent of the world’s merchant fleet in deadweight tonnage. And this city’s 700 shipping-related companies offer a flotilla of maritime services, including ship agency and management, broking and chartering, finance, marine insurance, and maritime legal and arbitration services.”
Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said Hong Kong’s efficient and reliable air and sea ports, combined with a strategic location in the heart of East Asia, made the city a key player in regional trade and logistics.
“Supply chains are the lifeblood of Hong Kong; a city that connects East and West, North and South; a city that links global businesses with the vast Chinese mainland market and economies throughout Asia,” Ms Fong said.
Conference Call
Dr Patrick Low, Vice President of Research, Fung Global Institute, chaired the opening Plenary Session today entitled “Drivers of Change: Navigating the New Competitive Landscape”. The session discussed issues affecting the global logistics, supply-chain management and maritime industries. It featured such distinguished speakers as Dr Hubert Escaith, Chief Statistician of the World Trade Organization, Dr Henry Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Luen Thai Holdings Limited and Dr Karen Reddington, Regional Vice President, FedEx Express, South Pacific.
The first day of ALMC also included; a logistics forum entitled “Close-up on China: Unlocking the Secrets of a Winning Distribution and Logistics Strategy”, two maritime forums under the themes of “Outlook for Tanker and Gas Trades” and “Outlook for Liner and Dry Bulk Shipping”, and two supply-chain management forums, “Staying Ahead of Consumer Trends in Retail and FMCG” and “Switching on a Vibrant Electronics Supply Chain”.
Tomorrow’s events include a supply-chain management forum on “Redesigning the Fashion Supply Chain”, two sessions discussing the strategic importance of the “New Silk Road” linking China, India and other Asian countries, and two maritime forums that focus on the latest developments in Asia for maritime arbitration, including the inauguration of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission Hong Kong Office.
Industry Showcase
For the second year in a row, ALMC features an exhibition with some 80 exhibitors from about a dozen countries and regions showcasing their logistics, shipping and related services as well as e-logistics solutions. The exhibitors include shipping companies, container terminals, logistics firms, e-logistics enterprises and port authorities as well as legal consultancies. Among the global brands represented at the ALMC are eBay, Huawei, Lenovo, Procter & Gamble and Under Armour.
Close to 100 one-on-one business-matching sessions are arranged during ALMC to give participants the chance to network and develop new business opportunities.
The conference is held in association with the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council, the Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council and the Hong Kong Port Development Council, and supported by 25 industry leaders as honorary advisors.
Beyond ALMC, the Logistics and Maritime Weeks, enables industry players from around the world to converge and participate in an expansive range of meetings, exhibitions and networking activities in Hong Kong throughout November.
ALMC official website: www.almc.hk/tc
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:
Joe Kainz
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
