Eight of Asia Pacific’s logistics hubs are considered ‘global’ and will continue to dominate until 2030 according to CBRE’s recently launched Asia Pacific Logistics Hubs 2015 report. These Asia Pacific hubs include: Greater China’s Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin; Japan’s Tokyo, Osaka-Kobe; and Singapore. In order to produce this latest report, CBRE developed a new model for ranking the region’s logistics hubs based on primary demand drivers: Infrastructure developments, market demand and the business environment. The report categorises hubs as global, regional or local.

Th e report reveals that Asia Pacific’s global hubs share strong similar characteristics, while improvements in infrastructure, stronger population growth – particularly in China – and additional trade agreements between nations are helping to normalise the differences between these global hubs, making them more equal in logistics importance.

The report found, however, that other emerging regional and local hubs, such as China’s Chengdu, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo; India’s Delhi, Mumbai; South Korea’s Busan; and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, are also growing in importance due to the shift in low-end manufacturing, rising consumption power, infrastructure and policy developments.

While the current global hubs will remain dominant in 2030, these emerging hubs are set to rise in significance, regionally and locally, CBRE said in the report. “With these regional and local hubs in Asia Pacific growing rapidly, they will continue to shape the future supply chain of logistics, improving the economic outlook among the region.

“Despite certain challenges in the sector – lack of modern logistics stock, restrictions on foreign ownership, transparency concerns i.e. corruption issues, uncertainty of trade agreements – these hubs will play an increasingly important role in bringing a multitude of opportunities for the region, as well as globally,” said Henry Chin, head of research, CBRE Asia Pacific.

In the meantime the established hubs will retain their dominance until 2030 says Dennis Yeo, managing director, industrial & logistics services, CBRE Asia.

“Th e drivers of infrastructure, market demand and the business environment are expected to remain robust in these hubs. These hubs are located along the major trade corridors, connected to major international transportation networks, contain large amounts of prime logistics space and have a variety of sophisticated logistics operators.”