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The Asian Institute of Supply Chains & Logistics (AISCL) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is organising the Smart Logistics Datathon 2024 (“the Datathon”) at Hong Kong Cyberport on 1-4 April 2024, aiming to inspire participants to develop innovative applications and solutions related to smart logistics using big data analytics. It supports the Hong Kong government’s strategy of promoting digitalisation and the development of smart logistics, and of rebranding the modern logistics industry as “Smart, Innovative, High-end” under the “Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development” promulgated in October 2023. The Datathon is financially supported by the newly launched Logistics Promotion Funding Scheme, part of the Hong Kong government’s Maritime and Aviation Training Fund.

To provide the younger generation with early exposure to logistics-related entrepreneurship and innovation, and to cultivate their interest in modern logistics, 20 teams of university students from Hong Kong, mainland China and other parts of Asia, including Singapore, South Korea and Thailand, as well as 10 teams of local secondary school students, were invited to participate in the event.

Professor Cheung Wai-man, Director of AISCL, says modern logistics has been moving towards high-end and high-value-adding development. Through the event, he hopes to showcase the industry’s promising prospects, attracting more young people to join and injecting new impetus into the sector.

Mr Lam Sai-hung, the Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, officiated at the opening ceremony held on 2 April and said, “The digital economy has been transforming the world, reforming traditional business models and creating new industries, and the logistics sector is no exception. From the bread-and-butter of logistics like supply chain management to emerging or fast-growing sectors like e-commerce, digitalisation is all the rage in the logistics industry.” Mr Lam emphasised that such digitalisation drive could be powered not just by the government’s effort but also by industry and academia through multiple types of collaboration. Nothing exemplifies such collaborative effort better than the Smart Logistics Datathon, which helps to enhance the innovative image of the logistics industry and allows students to understand the prospects for the development of Hong Kong’s logistics industry.

A visit to large-scale logistics infrastructure in Hong Kong

Selected teams are given a 35-hour period to understand and conduct in-depth analysis on the sets of transport and logistics-related data that are provided, and to develop innovative insights regarding operations, services or business models.

Before the Datathon, in addition to talks from logistics industry leaders, AISCL also arranged site visits for the participating teams to infrastructure of the Hong Kong International Airport, the SuperTerminal 1 and the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy, further promoting Hong Kong’s status as an international logistics hub and bringing out the potential of Hong Kong’s modern logistics industry.