280 Transport
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. 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). The 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. It has also been connected to the Road Cargo System (ROCARS) of the Customs and Excise Department as an additional feature to provide for advance electronic submission of road cargo information to facilitate seamless customs clearance.
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 was also completed in October 2011. The OBTIS pilot project has facilitated the wider adoption of IT applications by the logistics companies to enhance their operational efficiency and overall competitiveness.
To ensure that employees of the logistics sector are kept abreast of new technology, the council also jointly organised training programmes, workshops and forums with industry associations for logistics practitioners.
The outline of the 12th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China as promulgated in March 2011 indicated support for Hong Kong to develop into a high-value goods inventory management and regional distribution centre. To support the industry's development in this direction, the Government continued to make available sites in Kwai Tsing for developing modern logistics centres that can best meet the operational needs of third party logistics service providers.
To further raise Hong Kong's profile as an international maritime centre, and a high-value goods inventory management and regional distribution centre, the Government co-organised the Asia Logistics and Maritime Conference with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council on November 25, 2011 to foster exchanges among industry stakeholders on the development trends affecting the trades in Asia, the opportunities and challenges involved, and Hong Kong's unique role in providing quality logistics and maritime solutions for the burgeoning consumer markets in the Mainland.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.