In light of global challenges, the latest Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference explores regional resilience and sustainability.
Written by Henrik Batallones
The 2024 Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference, held last November 18-19 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, was held around pretty interesting circumstances. It was, after all, just a couple of weeks after elections in the United States, which saw Donald Trump returned to the White House—and brought back memories of his first term, when he waged a trade war on China. That certainly affected Hong Kong, which has long fashioned itself as a ‘super-connector’ between the two superpowers, and the world’s gateway to China.
In response, Hong Kong found itself settling into a new role in a shifting world trade order. With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership—a groundbreaking free trade agreement between all ten ASEAN member countries and five of its largest trading partners, including China—in place, the city is seeking to expand its linkages with the world, particularly through membership in RCEP. This is also reflected in the opening session of the conference, which featured several top officials from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Vietnam—emblematic of Hong Kong’s expansive trade relationship with the ASEAN bloc.
In addition, Eric Chan, Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary for Administration, boasted of the special administrative region’s ongoing efforts to bolster its logistics capabilities. “We see long-term opportunity in Hong Kong’s rise as a green and smart port,” he said, before outlining initiatives that aim to position the city as a sustainable shipping hub, alongside its ambitions as a center for cross-border e-commerce and logistics, and the recent opening of the third runway of the Hong Kong International Airport.
“This year’s [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,” he added.
Reflecting the city’s logistics priorities, the ALMAC, which is co-organized by the Hong Kong SAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, had several sessions on strengthening supply chain resilience and sustainability. The keynote session on the first day explored how effective supply chain management plays a key role in weathering uncertainty and preparing companies for future developments.
A particular mindset was expressed by Kalyan Chakravorty, senior director for global productivity for Mondelēz International. “When we think about building resilience in a supply chain, we need to think about it as an ecosystem,” he said during the session. “No single person or single company runs the entire supply chain. It’s often difficult to replicate the entire ecosystem in a new place without challenges.”
As in previous years, the conference also kept a focus on technology, with several sessions on how to better leverage these new innovations for stronger supply chains. Dr. Shamika Sirimanne of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development emphasized the need for businesses to act quickly. “In this digital revolution … it’s an extremely fast-moving technology and the windows of opportunity are open for a very short period,” she said. “If you don’t capture it, then you lose something.”
As always, the ALMAC featured an exhibition featuring ninety companies showcasing innovative supply chain solutions and services from across the region, including the Philippines’ very own F2 Logistics. Workshops on youth development and ESG reporting were also featured, as well as the second edition of Hong Kong’s NextGen Logistician Award, and many networking opportunities for over 2,200 in-person delegates.
SCMAP and Supply Chain Philippines magazine were supporting organization and media partner, respectively, of the event.