Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference opens in early November

18 October 2021 – Jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 11^th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC) will be held on 2 and 3 November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The event will be held in a hybrid format, with both physical and online elements, for the first time.

Running under the theme “RESILIENCE • AGILITY • SUSTAINABILITY Reshaping the Global Supply Chain”, the annual signature event for maritime, air freight, logistics and supply chain management, and shippers will examine the major factors currently influencing the global economy, looking at how the COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation and geopolitical tensions are reshaping the global supply chain and discussing both opportunities and risks for businesses, including the issue of sustainable development.

ALMAC brings together participants from maritime, air freight, logistics and supply chain management industries as well as shippers to get market insights, exchange market intelligence and explore business opportunities. Industry representatives can take part in the event at the main venue in Hong Kong or satellite venues in Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing and more. In addition to running a live broadcast of the conference, some of the satellite venues will invite experts to address logistics issues and experiences from a more local perspective and enable participants to enjoy face-to-face exchanges and business matching activities at the same time. It is expected that the conference will attract more than 10,000 industry participants from over 50 countries and regions.

“This year’s ALMAC will focus on the prospects for global recovery, examining issues such as geopolitical tensions, regional collaboration and new opportunities under China’s 14^th Five-Year Plan. It will also highlight the new trade order and evolving intermodal networks in the Asia-Pacific region, e-commerce trends, the post-pandemic evolution of the retail industry, along with the development of a sustainable supply chain and digital transformation trends beyond 2021. The conference continues to connect the global industry through a powerful online platform without boundaries and will give participants a deeper understanding of the current industry situation and help them capture new opportunities. These issues will impact the logistics industry as well as shippers. I would encourage all shippers, including traders, exporters and manufacturers, to join the conference to understand the issues and get insights on how to deal with them,” said Patrick Lau, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director.

Exploring the current business landscape

More than 60 industry experts will speak in person or virtually over the two days of the conference. In the Power Dialogue session on day one (2 November), with discussion on how shippers and big industry players are adjusting to the post-pandemic era; and how regional supply chain networks are expected to evolve in the coming years.

Capturing GBA opportunities and the future for smart air cargo

With its modern and sophisticated aviation hub and factors such as its simple and fast customs clearance procedures, Hong Kong's air cargo transport sector has developed into one of the world’s major players. Despite the severe impact of the pandemic on global air freight activities over the past year, international cargo traffic through the Hong Kong hub has remained resilient. Through the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the city looks set to play an important role in the future development of aviation and logistics in the region. On the first day of the conference, the Air Freight Forum (Part I) will explore ways for companies to capitalise on GBA-focused opportunities.

The demand for air cargo remains buoyant as world trade continues to gain momentum, particularly in the e-commerce sector. However, the air freight industry has lagged behind in digitalisation and its efficiency not only needs to evolve to meet booming demand for e-commerce, perishables and specialty cargo shipments, but must also adapt to accommodate shifting supply lanes amid changing trade environments and evolving consumer expectations. This is creating significant logistics challenges and the digitalisation of air cargo management has become key to the industry’s progress. The Air Freight Forum (Part II) will examine the future for smart air cargo.

Hong Kong’s changing role as international maritime centre

In a period of increasing global competition, Hong Kong continues to provide high-value-added maritime services. Various measures have been introduced, including ship leasing and maritime insurance, as well as support measures for the maritime arbitration and training sectors. Moreover, the Belt and Road Initiative and development of the Greater Bay Area are expected to create enormous opportunities for all commercial sectors, including shipping. The Insight Exchange session will discuss Hong Kong’s future prospects as a premier international maritime centre.

Exploring topical issues from e-commerce to net-zero emissions

As lockdowns became the new normal, businesses and consumers increasingly “went digital” in response. Amid the challenges in the global economy, the pandemic helped to accelerate the growth of e-commerce worldwide. At the same time, merchants have been facing a raft of logistical challenges. In the Power Dialogue session on day two of the conference (3 November), speakers will focus on some of the post-pandemic megatrends in the e-commerce arena.

Another key issue to address is sustainability, with many governments around the world now committed to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. In the final Power Dialogue session, titled “Beyond 2050: Quest for a Zero-carbon and Sustainable Supply Chain”, speakers will explore how the global supply chain will play an important role in meeting the net-zero challenge.

Brand-new session allows real-time interaction

The Exclusive Dialogue sessions will look into the challenges faced by shippers and share how corporations can develop new business models, operations and measures to minimise disruptions and risks. These new sessions will allow local participants to interact with conference speakers face-to-face.

InnoTalks and MarketTalks return to examine industry issues

The InnoTalks and MarketTalks sessions both return in 2021, with the former featuring smart port development in the Asia-Pacific region, supply chain optimisation via efficient international payments, and how logistics platforms can create efficiencies and sustainability for all stakeholders, helping conference participants keep abreast of technological developments in the industry. With logistics service users encountering various kinds of hindrances while conducting foreign trade, the MarketTalks sessions will feature key industry players from Malaysia, Shandong and Shaanxi Province and Chongqing City to provide the latest market insights and opportunity analysis, guiding attendees to explore business opportunities in the logistics ecosystems.

The ALMAC Online platform provides several interactive opportunities to connect industry players. Among them, the “Meet the Experts” roundtable will be conducted in both online and physical formats, inviting shippers and logistics service providers to participate to create more cross-industry interaction and discussion and provide participants with feasible insights and practical suggestions, helping to address some of the current supply chain challenges.

The seminars and forums will bring together a range of noted speakers, including (in alphabetical order according to family name):

Flagship event of Hong Kong Maritime Week

ALMAC is a flagship event of Hong Kong Maritime Week, organised by the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board. The conference is supported by the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council and Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board. The HKTDC invited 20 global leaders from the logistics and shipping industries, along with representatives from internationally renowned companies, to serve as honorary advisors on setting the agenda and content of ALMAC.

Members of the media wishing to interview speakers can email interview requests to clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org or christine.kam@hktdc.org by 28 October. For the latest programme and speaker list, please visit: https://www.almac.hk/main/en/.

Media enquiries

Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Christine Kam                       Tel: (852) 2584 4514           Email: christine.kam@hktdc.org

Clayton Lauw                        Tel: (852) 2584 4472           Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc

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 trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn