Industry leaders charted a new, green course for supply chains during this year’s edition of Asia’s leading transport and logistics forum in Hong Kong this week.
Nearly 80 experts and industry leaders in shipping, air transport, logistics and supply chains gathered for 20 thematic forums at the Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC), jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).
The conference attracted more than 2,000 participants from 36 countries and regions, providing a platform to discuss industry trends and explore business opportunities.
This year’s conference theme was Future-proofing Supply Chains: Diversification, Decarbonisation, Digitalisation. Industry giants led discussions on the challenges and potential of global supply chains as well as how companies can drive business growth and promote sustainable development through supply chain innovation. Digital transformation emerged as the optimal strategy to consolidate Hong Kong’s position as a logistics hub and to optimise supply chains for enterprises.
Gladis Araujo, Former Global Supply Chain Strategy Vice President of Mattel Inc, noted that the pandemic had brought challenges and opportunities as well as technology progress and visibility. “The only way to move forward is to innovate and to take business to the next level. It is essential to work on creating a resilient and agile supply chain, in which we have a truly competitive advantage in our business, where the foundation is ESG and sustainability.”
Discussions delved into the impact of impending carbon taxes and other ESG measures as well as how the 3D approach – decarbonisation, digitalisation and decentralisation – could bring businesses sustained development opportunities.
David Benattar, Sustainability Lead of The Warehouse Group Limited, expressed his view that the first challenge was to create a culture of sustainability. Transformation is probably one of the biggest challenges and brought opportunities that can fully transition organisations.
With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in effect, coupled with collaborations such as railway transportation and multimodal connectivity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), regional interconnectivity has been strengthened, enabling the logistics industry to diversify and mitigate risks.
During ALMAC, close to 100 exhibitors showcased cutting-edge logistics and supply chain solutions from across the world. The inaugural Logtech Salon displayed robots, AI and data systems tailored for the industry, allowing participants to explore the latest global developments and applications in the field of innovation and technology.
This year, three workshops debuted, focusing on ESG, e-commerce and youth empowerment giving industry professionals from different sectors the latest and most practical information.
