14th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference opens today

- Under the theme “Shaping the Future of Supply Chains: Resilience and Sustainability”, over 80 distinguished speakers will participate in more than 20 forums to exchange views and discuss the latest industry developments

- The first day of the conference features a special address by Chan Kwok-ki, Acting Chief Executive of the HKSAR; Fu Xuyin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport, the People's Republic of China, and officials from ASEAN countries, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a superconnector and an international shipping centre and aviation hub

- Sessions focus on three major trends – supply chain diversification, sustainability and green energy and innovation and technology

HONG KONG, Nov 18, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - Following the Resolution of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and measures proposed in the latest Policy Address to strengthen Hong Kong’s status as an international shipping centre and  aviation hub, the 14th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC), co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), commences today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, under the theme “Shaping the Future of Supply Chains: Resilience and Sustainability”.  As an annual event for the logistics, maritime, aviation and supply chain industries, the two-day conference gathers more than 80 heavyweight speakers, including government officials and industry leaders, to discuss industry trends and opportunities to help promote high-quality development of the logistics and supply chain management industry.

Chan Kwok-ki, Acting Chief Executive of the HKSAR, delivered a special address, followed by Fu Xuyin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport, the People's Republic of China, Loke Siew Fook, Minister of Transport, Malaysia, H.E. Heng Nan, Secretary of State of Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Kingdom of Cambodia, H.E. Saysongkham Manodham, Vice Minister of Public Works and Transport Lao PDR, and H.E. Nguyen Xuan Sang, Deputy Minister of Transport, Vietnam. ASEAN is Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner, with a total bilateral trade of US$144.6 billion last year. As Hong Kong is actively seeking membership of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), trade relations between Hong Kong and ASEAN are poised to deepen further. The participation of government officials from ASEAN countries in the conference underscores the robust cooperation between Hong Kong and ASEAN.

Margaret Fong, HKTDC Executive Director, said in her welcome remarks: “In today’s fast-moving world, global trade has been buffeted by numerous headwinds, including geopolitical tensions and tariffs. This is further compounded by global logistics bottlenecks, rising freight rates, increased focus on sustainability and the growing uptake of digitalisation. As businesses grapple with such a complex environment, it is evident that effective supply chain management is the essential engine that drives sustained growth in global trade. It plays a pivotal role in combating uncertainty and future-proofing business operations. Reflecting the vital importance of Asian supply chains in today’s interconnected world, this year’s ALMAC will zero in on global business opportunities and supply chain management.

Chan Kwok-ki, Acting Chief Executive of the HKSAR, said in his special address: “We see long-term opportunity in Hong Kong’s rise as a green and smart port.  Our Action Plan on Maritime and Port Development Strategy outlines that promising future, including building green fuel-bunkering capabilities. Just three days ago, we published an action plan on developing Hong Kong into a green maritime fuel-bunkering centre.  Combining our aviation and maritime strengths, Hong Kong has long been a major cargo gateway to and from the Greater Bay Area.”

He additionally mentioned: “We will also step up efforts to develop Hong Kong into a cross-boundary, e-commerce logistics and distribution centre. This year’s Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference is all about creating a resilient and sustainable future for global supply chains.  And Hong Kong is determined to play a vital part in that promising future.”

As the engine of business operations, supply chain management plays a pivotal role in combating uncertainty and future-proofing development. The first day featured a session titled “Steering Business Growth: Building an Evolving Supply Chain” hosted by Kelvin Leung, the immediate past President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in Hong Kong. Speakers including David O. King, Senior Vice President, Commercial, SEKO Logistics, Jotaro Tamura, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and representatives from international brands - including Arjen van Diepen, Head of Global Strategic Planning, the HEINEKEN Company, Bjoern Neal Kirchner, Corporate Vice President, Supply Chain Management, Henkel, and Kalyan Chakravorty, Senior Director, Global Productivity, Benchmarking & Analytics, MondelÄ“z International - analysed the challenges and opportunities encountered by global supply chains and delved into how supply chain transformation and innovation could drive business expansion and foster sustainable development.

A newly introduced session, “Navigating New Trade Lines for Mitigating Disruptions”, brought together industry leaders, including David O. King, Senior Vice President, Commercial, SEKO Logistics, Wilson Kwong, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, Eng. Loay Mashabi, Managing Director, Saudia Cargo, Louis Tang, Managing Director, Ocean Network Express (East Asia), and Delia Sun, Head of Supply Chain Management, DKSH. The session explored supply chain diversification and how emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East and North America can help enterprises build more resilient networks.

Two Air Freight Forums explore Hong Kong’s future as an aviation hub

Beginning operations at the end of this month, the Hong Kong International Airport three-runway system will significantly enhance the airport’s passenger and cargo capacity and help consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub. Co-organised with the Airport Authority Hong Kong, two air freight forums “Cargo Aviation Hub of the World” and “Digital Air Cargo and Global Trade Ecosystem” feature experts including Tom Owen, Director, Cargo, Cathay Cargo, Dereje Derero, Managing Director, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, Ming Chan, Associate Fintech Director, Financial Infrastructure Department, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and Philip Chan, Head of Wholesale Digital, Hang Seng Bank, to discuss how the cargo industry can enhance Hong Kong’s competitive edge as an international aviation hub through collaboration in premium warehousing, digital technology, and talent development.

Day 2 focus on sustainability and green energy, 5 workshops will be held in the afternoon

Given society’s greater emphasis on climate change action, more and more businesses across different industries are striving to reduce their carbon footprint and move towards net-zero emissions. Hong Kong is also committed to developing as a green maritime centre. In tomorrow’s sessions “Fostering Sustainable Trade: Embracing Future-proofing Supply Chains and the debut “Green Energy Forum: Energy Transition towards Net Zero Emissions”, Pernille Dahlgaard, Chief Officer of Government, Business & Analytics, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Achim Martinka, Vice President, Global Airfreight-Commercial & Sustainability, DSV, Scott Childress, Chief Sustainability Officer, UPS, and Paolo Gallieri, Chief Operation Officer, Zhero, will shed light on best practices in integrating sustainability and explore strategies and technologies that facilitate the energy transition.

In addition to thematic forums, ALMAC will feature a series of workshops on environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, e-commerce, youth empowerment, halal logistics, and air freight decarbonisation. Speakers from Shell Aviation, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited, Arup, and DKSH will provide participants with practical insights and tips.

Following last year’s success, this year's ALMAC exhibition continues to feature three zones including Logtech Salon, Supply Chain Management and Logistics Services, and Maritime and Port Services, showcasing innovative logistics and supply chain solutions from  90 exhibitors, including three major Hong Kong air cargo terminals (Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, Cathay Cargo Terminal, and Asia Airfreight Terminal), together with other leading companies such as Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Ocean Network Express. The Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) also host exhibition pavilions.

The HKTDC encourages enterprises to leverage its trade platform and events to seek global business opportunities. Business matching sessions are offered at ALMAC, bringing together shippers and service providers to foster business partnerships and promote industry development.

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ALMAC: https://www.almac.hk/main/en/
ALMAC programme: https://almac.hktdc.com/conference/almac/en/programme
ALMAC speaker list: https://almac.hktdc.com/conference/almac/en/speaker

Media enquiries

Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Agnes Yiu     Tel: (852) 3428 5690          Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Edmund Choi   Tel: (852) 3428 2360          Email: echoi@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Stanley So    Tel: (852) 2584 4049          Email: stanley.hp.so@hktdc.org
Clayton Lauw  Tel: (852) 2584 4472          Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.