Port logistics is frequently appeared in recent years in academic seminars and all kinds of new media.  Port logistics is refers to the center of the port city of using its own port advantage, which is based on the advanced software and hardware environment, strengthening its radiation ability of the port logistics activities, highlight the port goods collection, inventory and distribution expertise, on the basis of port-vicinity industry, supported by information technology, to optimize the port resource integration as the goal,  the development has covered all links the characteristics of the ports in the logistics industry chain integrated service system.  Port logistics is a special form of integrated logistics system, as an irreplaceable important node in the process of logistics, complete the whole supply chain logistics system in the basic logistics service and the derivative of the value-added services.

The development of world ports generally has experienced three generations.  The first generation of port function to pure "transportation hub", mainly provide ship dock, shipping goods of loading and unloading, transport and warehousing, etc.;  Second generation of the port function as "transportation center + service", in addition to providing the loading and unloading of goods, warehousing, etc., the port logistics has increased industrial and commercial activities, make the port the goods value function;  The third generation port function orientation for international logistics center, as well as the shipping routes in international trade to keep the powerful distribution function of tangible goods and further enhance the efficiency of the distribution of tangible goods, also has a collection of tangible goods, technology, capital, information distribution in the integration of logistics functions.

At present, the world's major ports in the second generation port is still the mainstream of development, but with the economic globalization, market internationalization and information network, and some large port has begun to the third generation port transformation.  During the development of port logistics, port logistics development, the idea of the trajectory is a cost to the profits to the process of comprehensive logistics service idea.  Pursue is to reduce the total cost of logistics cost concept, the concept of profit pursuit is to obtain maximum profits, and comprehensive logistics service concept, in addition to the pursuit of efficiency and cost of goods natural circulation, but also strengthen customer service consciousness, practical conversion operation and management methods, in accordance with the requirements of modern logistics integration, take the customer as the center of management and control,  to provide complete logistics services.