Southeast Asian nations outperform most other emerging markets in the 10th annual Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index, a broad gauge of competitiveness based on logistics strength and business fundamentals.
Business-friendly conditions plus core manufacturing and supply chain value position several Southeast Asian countries near the top of the Index, behind giants China (1) and India (2), and alongside energy-rich Arabian Gulf countries.
The Index is a broad gauge of competitiveness that ranks 50 countries by factors that make them attractive to logistics providers, freight forwarders, shipping lines, air cargo carriers and distributors. The top are 10: China, India, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Qatar, Turkey and Vietnam. Thailand is 11; Philippines is 20.
The Index includes a survey of more than 500 global logistics industry executives, who pick Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia as the emerging markets with the most logistics potential after India and China. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed say a prolonged trade standoff between the US and China could benefit Southeast Asian countries, which offer manufacturing and sourcing alternatives to China.