The ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs is introducing measures to upgrade Taiwan's logistics industry, making it more international and technologically advanced, to complement the government’s introduction of the Free Economic Pilot Zone project, the MOEA said Aug. 22.
Under the project, six major ports, as well as Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park, have been designated FEPZs, an MOEA official said. Four industries are set for the first stage of strategic promotion within the zones. These are industrial cooperation, international medical services, smart logistics and value-added agricultural processing.
For smart logistics, the MOEA has a three-pronged plan to make the industry more high-tech, including the introduction of advanced equipment, the establishment of cloud computing platforms and the development of innovative operational models.
The advanced equipment includes automated processing, innovative smart storage containers, new tracking technologies, radio-frequency identification and sensors.
The cloud computing platform will utilize high-end cloud services to create monitoring and management mechanisms governing the logistics process and establish a shared platform to reduce operational costs.
Diversified innovative operational models will target business opportunities in global hi-tech logistics to provide integrated logistics solutions.
Taking cold chain logistics, or the maintenance of a temperature-controlled supply chain, as an example, the MOEA has recently encouraged cross-strait cooperation in this field by linking up businesses on both sides of the strait to establish intra- and intercity and cross-straits cold supply chains using the latest control and tracking technology, such as RFID and sensors.
The MOEA has also helped establish a real-time cloud information platform to help businesses deal with sophisticated new services including shipments across a range of temperature conditions, groupage and value-added storage, which will greatly increase the capabilities of Taiwan businesses, as well as product quality and value.
These measures had by 2012 created NT$1.7 billion (US$57 million) of international business in processed food, agricultural, fisheries and medicinal products, and added more than NT$200 million to Taiwan’s domestic cold chain logistics industry revenues, the MOEA official said. A total of 31 cross-strait cold chain cooperative agreements have so far been signed, involving NT$1.46 billion in investment and purchasing.
The MOEA Department of Commerce plans to introduce an integrated logistics information management platform with three types of support service. The services include an innovative factory-to-shop supply chain information management module, an FEPZ cargo tracking and quality control services platform, and a module to update intelligence and developments in the internationalization of the logistics industry.
In recent years, the department has made development of the logistics industry in the FEPZs a priority to facilitate internationalization of the sector. It has helped establish an Asia-Pacific regional spirits hub, an auto and auto parts packaging center, a worldwide bicycle parts distribution center, and an Asia-Pacific paper pulp transshipment center, among others.
By further integrating the sector with information services industries through an e-service platform, the department has helped draw NT$4 billion of goods to the FEPZs, creating NT$300 million in revenue for the sector, the official said. (SDH)
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