Overview of Hong Kong's Logistics Industry

Trade and logistics rank as the top pillar among Hong Kong’s four major economic sectors based on value added and employment. In 2021, trade and logistics accounted for 23.7% of Hong Kong’s GDP, providing approximately 608,200 jobs. In the same year, logistics alone contributed 6.2% of GDP and provided about 185,500 jobs. In 2022, transport services made up 39.9% of Hong Kong’s service exports.

Hong Kong International Airport has consistently been one of the busiest airports worldwide. In 2022, the airport’s cargo throughput (including airmail) reached 4.2 million tonnes, ranking first in the world.

In 2022, Hong Kong ranked as the ninth largest container port globally, following Shanghai, Singapore, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Busan, and Tianjin.

Hong Kong’s Advantages

Strategic Location and World-Class Infrastructure

Hong Kong is one of Asia’s regional hubs. From Hong Kong, most major Asian cities can be reached within five hours, covering roughly half of the world’s population within flight range. Since the end of the pandemic, flight routes have been steadily restoring. Currently, around 110 airlines operate from Hong Kong International Airport, flying to approximately 165 destinations worldwide.

Hong Kong International Airport has five major cargo terminals, among the largest globally, capable of handling over 7 million tonnes of cargo annually.

Construction of the airport’s third runway began in 2016 and is expected to be completed by 2024. According to IATA Consulting, after the third runway is operational, Hong Kong International Airport will be able to meet future aviation demands and handle by 2030:

• 102 million passengers annually

• 8.9 million tonnes of cargo

• 607,000 aircraft movements

Hong Kong has nine container terminals with 24 berths, capable of handling over 20 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually.

Multimodal Transport

Hong Kong boasts a comprehensive transport infrastructure, providing seamless global connectivity, especially to Mainland China.

Hong Kong is a natural deep-water port without siltation issues, located close to major shipping routes and adjacent to Mainland China. Its strategic position and abundant cargo sources enable it to serve as a key maritime transport hub in Asia.

Currently, Hong Kong has 10 land border control points connecting to Mainland China, including:

• 6 road crossings: Shenzhen Bay, Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and Heung Yuen Wai

• 4 rail crossings: Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, Hung Hom Intercity Through Train Station, and West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world, officially opened on October 24, 2018. The bridge primarily facilitates land passenger and freight transport between Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Macao, significantly reducing travel time among the three regions and establishing a new route linking the eastern and western shores of the Pearl River Delta.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 21,700 vehicles crossed daily from the Pearl River Delta into Hong Kong, alongside about 180 inland cargo vessels arriving in Hong Kong from the Pearl River Delta.