Asia-Pacific growth is of a magnitude and pace never before witnessed. The challenge is now to unlock this dynamic potential by intensifying connectivity and integration; exploiting the complementarities and diversity of a region up to now driven mainly by individual economies. China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative is spearheading this vision, connecting the landlocked belt of Central Asia and ports along the new maritime “Silk Road”. Closer regional ties such as the latest ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement also strengthen trade and investment flows, while enhancing Hong Kong's role as a trading and logistics hub. Our panel of leading logistics, maritime and air freight players will examine the progress so far – and what more can be done?
The global cold chain market is predicted to reach US$234.49 billion in 2020. With growing consumer concern over quality and safety of environmentally-sensitive goods (such as perishable food and wines), companies are actively looking for an efficient and reliable cold chain logistics system. Cold chain logistics is the management on the flow of products from origin to destination in a temperature-controlled supply chain. The process involves an uninterrupted series of refrigerated production, distribution, and storage activities. In this session, renowned speakers will discuss the challenges of cold chain logistics management and the elements of success for key stakeholders to prepare their ways ahead on cold chain logistics.
New Paradigm of Regional E-commerce Order Fulfilment Centre – Where and How?
Lowering logistics costs and shortening lead time from order to delivery are crucial for success in the competitive world of e-commerce businesses. Two major decisions that e-commerce professionals have to make are where to strategically locate a regional order fulfilment centre, and how to implement efficient operational flow. Speakers from leading airport, major e-commerce logistics companies and e-commerce portal, will conduct substantive discussions on the subject from various perspectives and share their real-life successes and practices in this forum.
Expert Panel: Whatever Next for Tanker and Gas Market?
Choppy seas seem the boundless destiny of the global tanker and gas market; now plagued by the looming headwinds of fleet overcapacity and volatile geopolitics on top of weak oil demand and plummeting rates. With low earnings as a result, is there any light on the horizon at all for the industry? Or is the market doomed to struggle through a prolonged crisis in an increasingly unpredictable new world order? Our panel of analysts and shipowners will discuss the impact of the latest developments and the prospects for calmer water over the next few years.
To address the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) new air cargo security policy, which goes into effect in June 2021, the industry will have to contend with a drastic increase in cargo screening demand. This session will gather officials from the Government and the ICAO to share details of the policy and how to fulfil the new requirements while maintaining the industry’s competitiveness. Experts and practitioners from leading security screening service providers will also join the panel discussion to introduce innovative, pioneering screening solutions that allow the industry to comply efficiently with the new, stricter cargo security requirements.
Expert Panel: What’s More for Liner Shipping?
New business models are emerging for a challenging new world of liner shipping. As crude oil’s 2017-2018 surge drives up the fuel price, along with spare capacity adding pressure to a competitive market, more consolidation now seems inevitable. But are mega-ships now flooding the Asia-North Europe container trade lane a sign of growing confidence from development along China’s “Maritime Silk Road”? Leading experts and shipowners will examine the prospects for an uncertain future.
Topic: Where is container liner shipping headed?
Amid seemingly endless revolutionary advances reshaping the landscape of the logistics industry, technology is evolving at such a breakneck pace that it is a constant challenge to keep up to speed. This session explores the latest technologies – blockchain and hyperloop applied for the logistics industry. Our leading experts are set the daunting task of explaining how they work and what the future holds.
Prospects are looking much brighter for the dry bulk market. Current rates are recovering on the back of strengthening Asian iron ore demand and growing grain consumption in Asia and Africa. Looking ahead, China’s Belt and Road Initiative will continue creating strong tailwinds – from new ports, roads and railways through Central Asia to Europe, and along a “Maritime Silk Road” linking China to Southeast Asia and East Africa. Our expert panel will examine how all these bode well for a reviving interest in the market.
Topic: Dry Bulk - Demand Clouded, Supply to the rescue?
CEO, C Transport Maritime S.A.M.
Hubei International Air Freight Hub is located in E’Zhou, one of the comprehensive transportation hubs in central China. It is the world's fourth and Asia's first professional freight hub, jointly built by Hubei provincial government, E’Zhou municipal government and SF-Express. The airport will be put into operation in 2021, and the cargo handling capacity will reach 2.45 million tons in 2025. Relying on the logistics advantages brought by this project, E’Zhou will become a new channel for China’s inland opening.
Will the Air Freight Hub become the new freight centre of Asia? What is the impact on the development of domestic logistics and e-business industry? SF express and Hong Kong logistics industry experts will share their insights with you.
Online shopping is revolutionising not only how we buy – but how companies deliver. With e-commerce sales growing at a considerably faster pace than traditional retailing – and China unsurprisingly the world’s largest e-tailing market, while Southeast and South Asia the next spotlight– this digital invasion is transforming logistics & supply chain management into a “brave new world” of technology and innovation. As consumers increasingly opt for the time-saving convenience of online shopping, new challenges are on delivery speed, convenience and transparency – not least to the “last-mile” delivery and handling returns. Some e-tailers have also shown their readiness to tap into the logistics business. At this plenary session, leading e-tailing platforms and logistics service providers will discuss the current landscape of the logistics industry and envision the future of it.
With a growing demand for fresh food across the globe, customers need reliable, resilient cold supply chain options to get these products to market quickly and sustainably. Moving these sensitive temperature controlled products across the globe is not simple and understanding how global cold supply chains work is critical for success. This panel will discuss how a Cold Supply Chain is different from moving non-temperature controlled products and what the critical success factors are for building a resilient supply chain for highly sensitive perishable goods. How to leverage new technologies and data to improve food safety and avoid spoilage? How can collaboration amongst supply chain partners and customers create a round-trip eco-system to improve customer service, reduce costs, and reduce carbon emissions? Whether you are importing products from North America such as fresh protein, or beverages or whether you are exporting seafood or vegetables to the heart of North America, join our world-class cold supply chain specialists and explore the best practices in global reefer service.
Zhuhai is the only city in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Greater Bay Area city cluster bordering on both Hong Kong and Macao, the only city to be connected with Hong Kong and Macao by land, and a key gateway in the Greater Bay Area. Zhuhai is now faced with unprecedented development opportunities brought by the synergetic effects of multiple advantages, including the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in accordance with national strategy, the operation of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the approval of construction of a new Cross-border E-commerce Pilot Zone in Zhuhai, and the combo of Hengqin Pilot Free Trade Zone and the Pearl River Delta National Independently Innovative Demonstration Zone. Boosted by these opportunities, the cooperation and development of cross-border e-commerce and modern logistics between Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao will be brought to a new height.
Located at the crossroads of the “Belt”, which connects Eastern Europe with Russia, Japan and South Korea, and the “Road”, which leads off from the coastal cities of China to the ASEAN markets, Yingkou plays the role as gateway of Northeastern China and a key logistics hub along the “Yingmanau” Sea-Rail Intermodal Corridor. How great is the anticipated growth of trade along the northern routes of China’s Belt and Road Initiative? What are the opportunities offered by the Yingkou Port? Industry leaders from the logistics and shipping industry will gather to conduct in-depth discussions on the above.
Technology is changing the landscape of the trading and logistics industries substantially. What are the latest trends and developments? How can these logistics related technologies and services help boost the productivity of the manufacturing, trading and logistics industries in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area? What are potential opportunities and challenges for Hong Kong? Speakers from different backgrounds and disciplines will touch on this complex yet fascinating subject.
With Chongqing as its operating centre, the “New International Land - Sea Trade Corridor” is the new international trade and logistics channel connecting western China with ASEAN, Central Asia and South Asia. Through the Sino-Europe Express (Chongqing – Xinjiang - Europe), it links together the Silk Road Economic Belt, 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and Yangtze River economic belt in the form of multimodal transport, which in turn promotes the economic prosperity and regional economic cooperation among countries along the belt and road, as well as demonstrate broad market prospects and development potential. What are the transportation routes along this transport corridor? How much time and cost could be saved? How does it help you to expand your business into the market in western China, Europe and ASEAN? The four provinces, Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou and Gansu, will join forces with industry experts to share insights and explore opportunities for cooperation.
*The programme is subject to change without prior notice.