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The Government's commitment to develop Hong Kong's logistics
capabilities in order to make it the region's logistics hub
led to the establishment of the Logistics Development Council
or LOGSCOUNCIL in December 2001.
Five Project Groups were set up to develop and implement
work programmes in their respective priority areas to facilitate
Hong Kong logistics development. The Council is represented
in every committee, and Chairman Willy Lin is shepherd of
the H-Logistics Group.
Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr. Stephen
Ip, assumed LOGSCOUNCIL Chairmanship on July 1, 2002.
The E-logistics Project Group, shepherded by Mr. John Hammond,
is charged with the development of IT infrastructure based
on a feasibility study completed in Dec. 2002 on the development
of a Digital Trade and Transportation Network (DTTN) System.
The study explores the feasibility of developing an open and
neutral IT platform for the exchange of data and information
amongst players in the supply chain. Submission of proposals
on development of the DTTN to the LOGSCOUNCIL Secretariat
closed on April 30. Tradelink has made a formal proposal on
the DTTN system.
The H-logistics Project Group, led by Mr. Lin, focuses on
human resource development and knowledge building within the
logistic industry. Members of the Group contributed to VTC's
2002 Manpower Survey of the Transport Logistics Industry,
and would develop a list of required competencies from the
industry's perspective to facilitate local tertiary institutions
in developing training courses. Local exhibition-cum-talks
would be organised to inform upper-form secondary students
of job profiles and employment opportunities in the logistics
sector.
The M-logistics Project Group chaired by Mr. James Hughes-Hallett
takes charge of marketing and promotional activities to promote
Hong Kong's logistics capabilities. The Group is considering
organising international logistics conferences to be held
in Hong Kong.
In recognition of the contributions of SMEs to Hong Kong's
economy and their important role in the logistics sector,
the S-logistics Project Group led by legislator, the Hon Ms
Miriam Lau works on measures to enable the SMEs to better
embrace the concept of logistics business. It facilitates
the E-logistics Project Group in developing plans to promote
the use of IT among logistics SMEs. Also, tailor-made courses
are being developed to cater for the practical training needs
of logistics SMEs. Other options on how best to make use of
existing SME funding schemes to meet identified specific financing
needs of logistics SMEs, including those for promoting IT
application, are being further explored with the Trade and
Industry Department.
Mr. C C Tung leads the P-logistics Project Group, which works
on measures to improve the physical and regulatory infrastructures
to expedite freight flow in and out of Hong Kong. The Group
maintains a keen interest in process re-engineering measures
undertaken by the Customs and Excise Department. It also receives
and offers views on private sector proposals to develop new
modes of "bonded pipeline" services, which enables
Customs clearance procedures to be conducted in places other
than the land boundary control points, thus reducing the traffic
congestion at the control points. The Government announced
in April that it has started the site selection process for
the development of a Value Added Logistics Park at North Lantau
by the private sector.
Other undertakings aimed at the development of Hong Kong
as a logistics hub include the Port Master Plan 2020 which
is due for completion in 2003. It includes studies on freight
village and bonded pipelines; the DTTN; Hong Kong as an international
maritime centre; and implications of South China infrastructure
development on cargo flow to and from Hong Kong. The consultants
have submitted their reports to the Port, Maritime and Logistics
Development Unit.
The Council is also assisting the Port and Maritime Board
in gathering transportation cost figures for shipping out
of Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The figures would be used for analyzing
the relative competitiveness of the two ports.
In addition, the Council has also forged closer links with
related authorities and trade associations including the Shenzhen
Municipal Port Authority, the Shenzhen Communication Bureau,
the Guangzhou and the Shenzhen Ports and Harbours Association,
the Guangzhou International Trade Promotion Council, among
others.
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