272 Transport
International Transport and Logistics Hub
Logistics is an important sector of the economy, accounting for 4 per cent of Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product. Given its strategic location, world class infrastructure and business-friendly environment, Hong Kong has long established itself as a preferred transport and logistics hub in Asia. It is also the world's busiest international air cargo centre and one of the world's busiest container ports. These achievements are attributed to the operators of the services and facilities the investors and the efficient workforce, as well as the constructive partnership and co-operation between the private and public sectors. Efficient, reliable and well connected, Hong Kong's airport and seaport are vital to the territory's logistics industry.
Hong Kong is also home to the most productive and efficient container terminals and to the
the biggest private terminal operators in the world. A comprehensive network of container line services connects the port of Hong Kong with about 480 destinations across the globe. Coupled with its round-the-clock operation, the nine container terminals at Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi provide a total handling capacity of more than 19 million TEUS per year.
Development of Hong Kong Logistics Industry
The Government is committed to maintaining and strengthening Hong Kong as Asia's preferred international transport and logistics hub. It provides the necessary infrastructure and environment for Hong Kong's logistics sector to grow. It also promotes closer co-operation with the Mainland, in particular, the Pearl River Delta region to achieve synergies in logistics development.
The Hong Kong Logistics Development Council, chaired by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, provides a forum for the private and public sectors to foster logistics development to strengthen Hong Kong's position as the leading logistics hub in Asia. Five project groups have been set up under the council to develop and implement work programmes for physical infrastructure, information connectivity, human resource development, support for small and medium enterprises, and marketing and promotion.
To enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong's trucking sector and the logistics industry in general, the Government sponsored a pilot project on the development of an On-Board Trucker Information System (OBTIS). OBTIS is an information and communications technology platform, which helps enhance efficiency in fleet management and connectivity between truckers and stakeholders along the supply chain. The first phase involving testing the system's basic features in 50 trucks was completed in 2008. A full exercise to test the integrated functions of the system and its connection with external parties for some 500 trucks is now in progress. Since July 2010, OBTIS has been connected to the Road Cargo System (ROCARS) of the Customs and Excise Department to provide for advance electronic submission of road cargo information to facilitate seamless customs clearance.
To ensure that employees of the logistics sector are kept abreast of new technology, the council jointly organised training programmes, workshops and