Port-focal Logistics and Global Supply Chains

The global economy has experienced substantial changes in the past decades. They are not only unprecedented, but also far-reaching which effect on all walks of lives. Being the arteries of the global economy, transport, logistics and supply chains continue to evolve and adapt to the new phenomena, and have together become an integrated service professional. In this regard, being the nodal points, ports will play pivotal roles. Understanding such, Port Focal Logistics and Global Supply Chains investigates the trends and challenges that ports, logistics and supply chains have tackled in recent decades, and the appropriate way forward. A new concept, namely, port focal logistics is introduced which appreciates the efforts by previous studies in ports, logistics and supply chains, but simultaneously recognize the limitations, and the need for further improvements. Drawing experiences from both the developed and developing world, it provides first hand insight on the development strategies undertaken by ports, logistics and supply chain stakeholders around the world under diversified, often uncertain, circumstances, and thus provides scholars, policymakers, and industrial practitioners a comprehensive view on this rapidly changing sector.

Adolf K.Y. Ng is Associate Professor of Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba, Canada. Having obtained his PhD from University of Oxford, UK, he excels in the research and teaching of port management and governance, transport geography and regional development, transport and the environment, maritime logistics and global supply chains, with more than a century of scholarly publications. A recipient of the Fulbright Scholar Program and the Endeavour Awards, Adolf was a visiting scholar at Stanford University, USA, and the Australian Maritime College, Australia, and had provided key strategic advices on various transport and logistics issues to intergovernmental (like UN institutions) and governmental agencies. He serves as a Council Member for the International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), the Co-Editor of Journal of Transport Literature, and a member of the Editorial Board for Maritime Policy and Management.

John J. Liu is Professor at the Centre for Transport, Trade and Financial Studies of the City University of Hong Kong, China. He has more than 20 years of extensive teaching, research and consultancy experience in risk and decision analysis of logistics, supply chain and maritime services. After receiving his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Marine Engineering (Ship Building) from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, John furthered his studies in Stanford University and Pennsylvania State University, USA, with his Master of Science in Economic Engineering Systems and PhD degree in Industrial Systems Engineering and Management, respectively. He has distinctive experiences in leading and designing executive development programs for senior executives and professionals. He has been actively involved in a number of remarkable research projects, and his publications are frequently found in refereed journals such as OR and Management Science, receiving different teaching and research awards. He has served on the Engineering Panel of Research Grant Council, HKSAR (2005-2011). He serves on Advisory Board for Maritime Policy and Management (2008-2010), and on Human Resource Taskforce of Maritime Industry Council, HKSAR (2006-2011).