'Logistics Hong Kong' Initiative

The Government is committed to providing a conducive environment and the necessary infrastructure to facilitate the development and promotion of Hong Kong as the preferred international and regional transportation and logistics hub and a base for integrating service providers for the global supply chain. The Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board commissioned a consultancy study to review measures required to strengthen Hong Kong's role as the preferred international and regional transportation and logistics hub. The study was completed in September.

The Government has decided to take forward the recommendations of the report under the 'Logistics Hong Kong' initiative. This was announced by the Chief Executive in his Policy Address in October. The priorities will be to strengthen connectivity between the different modes of transport links between Hong Kong and its cargo sources; and to facilitate collaboration among operators in the chain under the five pillars of 'Logistics Hong Kong': 'physical, electronic, human resources, marketing and SME logistics'.

The objectives of 'Logistics Hong Kong' are to attract the flow of cargoes through the port and the airport; to facilitate the development of infrastructure to enable Hong Kong to take advantage of opportunities in virtual logistics; and to assist Hong Kong companies and attract foreign investment in providing logistics services under the demand and supply chain that operates through or from the HKSAR.

To take forward the 'Logistics Hong Kong' initiative, the Steering Committee on Logistics Development (LOGSCOM) was established in November and the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council (LOGSCOUNCIL) was formed in December. The Steering Committee, headed by the Financial Secretary, will provide policy guidance on developing and accelerating measures to take forward the logistics initiative. The council, chaired by the Secretary for Economic Services, will implement directives from the Steering Committee and carry out joint projects between the public and private sectors. It also provides a forum for the public and private sectors to discuss and co-ordinate matters concerning 'Logistics Hong Kong'. The two new bodies took over the policy formulation work previously discharged by the Hong Kong Port and Maritime Board and the Committee on Logistics Service Development set up under the board. Project groups are set up under the council to develop and implement work programmes. The project groups are tasked to deal with different priority areas identified by the council and support the formulation and implementation of 'Logistics Hong Kong'.