Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Management Training in Male

Programme Overview

Supply chains have become a strategic concern for governments, utilities, project implementation units and companies alike. Disruptions since 2020 showed how quickly shortages of fuel, food, medicines, equipment and construction materials can delay public services and investment projects. Organisations now expect logistics and supply chain managers to plan for cost, service and resilience at the same time.

The World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index 2023, covering 139 countries, found that the longest delays occur at seaports, airports and multimodal facilities, and estimated that the time from a container entering the export port to leaving the destination port averages 44 days across trade routes. It also reported that end-to-end digitalisation can cut port delays significantly. These findings point to the practical levers covered in this programme: clearance processes, infrastructure use, digital visibility and performance measurement.

Supply chain practice has also moved on. The Association for Supply Chain Management released the SCOR Digital Standard (SCOR DS) in 2022, its largest update since the model began in 1996. It adds an Orchestrate process, splits Deliver into Order and Fulfill, renames Make as Transform, and adds resilience, economic and sustainability metrics. The programme uses SCOR DS as a common language for mapping and improving supply chains.

Male is a strong place to study these issues. The Maldives relies heavily on imports to supply its population and tourism sector, and its main commercial port is being relocated from Male to a larger site at Thilafushi to relieve congestion, with operations scheduled to start on 11 November 2027. Participants see how an island state is redesigning its logistics backbone.

The six days end with a technical visit and a capstone exercise.

The Programme Strengthens Institutional Capability

• Supply chain strategy aligned with organisational goals
• End-to-end process mapping using SCOR DS
• Strategic sourcing and supplier selection
• Supplier relationship and performance management
• Lean and agile supply chain approaches
• Transport mode selection and intermodal planning
• Port, customs and clearance coordination
• Transport documentation and Incoterms awareness
• Handling of dangerous goods in line with international rules
• Logistics cost analysis and total cost of ownership
• Activity-based costing for logistics
• Demand forecasting and sales and operations planning
• Collaborative planning with suppliers and customers
• Supply chain KPIs and benchmarking
• Risk identification and business continuity
• Resilience planning for import-dependent operations
• Warehouse layout, operations and safety
• Inventory policy, classification and control
• Management of excess and obsolete stock
• Digital visibility, track-and-trace and sustainable logistics

Each topic is applied to participants’ own supply chains, so they leave with analyses and plans they can put to use.

The Growing Importance of Logistics and Supply Chain Management

For island and import-dependent economies, logistics is a question of national resilience. The United States Department of Commerce reports that Maldives imports were about US$2.8 billion in 2024, with India, China and Singapore as the leading sources, and notes that higher world food and fuel prices raised the cost of fuel subsidies sharply. Similar exposure is found in many small island states and landlocked countries.

Development finance reflects this. The Asian Development Bank, with Australia and the Government of Tonga, financed the Nuku’alofa Port Upgrade Project, worth US$83.5 million in total, whose first wharf works were commissioned in July 2024. In Nauru, the Sustainable and Climate Resilient Connectivity Project, financed by ADB, the Green Climate Fund, Australia and Nauru, combines new port infrastructure with institutional reform of the port authority and a fund for operations and maintenance.

For managers, the message is that infrastructure alone is not enough. Ports, warehouses and fleets deliver results only when planning, procurement, inventory and performance management work together.

Organisations increasingly require professionals capable of:

• Mapping end-to-end supply chains and their critical points
• Designing sourcing strategies for critical items
• Evaluating suppliers on cost, quality, risk and sustainability
• Selecting transport modes and routings on total cost
• Coordinating with ports, customs and freight forwarders
• Calculating the full cost of logistics activities
• Forecasting demand and matching it with supply
• Setting inventory policies for critical and slow-moving items
• Designing KPIs and dashboards that drive action
• Assessing supply chain risks and building contingency plans
• Managing warehouse operations safely and efficiently
• Using digital tools for visibility and traceability
• Leading cross-functional supply chain teams
• Reducing environmental impact in logistics

Strong logistics and supply chain systems help organisations:

• Reduce stock-outs of critical goods and materials
• Lower total logistics and inventory costs
• Shorten lead times and improve reliability
• Keep projects on schedule
• Respond faster to disruptions
• Improve accountability for public spending on goods
• Reduce losses from expiry, damage and obsolescence
• Strengthen negotiation positions with suppliers
• Meet environmental and safety obligations
• Support better investment decisions in logistics infrastructure

The programme links these needs to tools that can be used in ministries, utilities, health supply systems, project units and private firms.

Who Should Attend This Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Training?

This programme is designed for:

• Senior and mid-level supply chain managers and executives
• Logistics, transport and fleet managers
• Procurement managers and officers
• Purchasing managers and sourcing specialists
• Warehouse, stores and inventory managers
• Port, shipping and freight operations staff
• Customs and trade facilitation officers
• Manufacturing and operations managers
• Health and pharmaceutical supply chain managers
• Project implementation unit procurement and logistics staff
• Utility and energy sector materials managers
• Humanitarian and emergency logistics officers
• Marketing and customer service managers linked to fulfilment
• Finance staff responsible for inventory and logistics costs
• Internal auditors reviewing supply and stores functions

Teams from the same organisation are encouraged to attend together so that procurement, logistics, finance and operations staff can work on shared improvement plans.

Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Training Objectives

Upon successful completion of this Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Training, participants will be able to:

• Explain how logistics and supply chain decisions affect cost, service and financial performance
• Map an end-to-end supply chain using the SCOR DS processes
• Apply lean and agile approaches to different supply segments
• Develop sourcing strategies and supplier evaluation criteria
• Perform price and cost analysis for purchasing decisions
• Use contemporary negotiation approaches with suppliers and carriers
• Compare transport modes and intermodal options on total cost
• Analyse logistics costs using total costing and activity-based costing
• Prepare demand forecasts and collaborative replenishment plans
• Design supply chain KPIs and performance standards
• Assess supply chain risks and draft resilience measures
• Set inventory policies and manage excess and obsolete stock

The objectives keep the scope of the original programme while updating it to current standards and recent evidence.

Programme Contents and Structure

Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Training Methodology

The programme uses an interactive adult learning approach that keeps participants active throughout. Concepts are introduced briefly and then applied immediately to case material and participants’ own supply chains.

The programme combines:

• Short expert presentations
• SCOR DS process mapping exercises
• Spreadsheet-based cost and forecasting labs
• Case studies of real port and logistics projects
• Negotiation role plays
• Group discussions and peer learning
• Video examples of logistics operations
• Individual assignments on participants’ own supply chains
• Risk register and KPI dashboard design
• A technical visit on the final day
• Capstone improvement plan presentations
• Facilitator feedback and coaching

Participants bring basic, non-confidential data on their own supply chain so exercises stay relevant.

Technical Visits and Site Programme

As in the original programme, the final day includes a practical exposure visit so participants can see the concepts covered in class applied in a working operation. Depending on availability, visits may cover port and cargo handling operations, a warehouse or distribution centre, or inter-island freight and supply arrangements serving the atolls. Specific sites and timings are confirmed with host organisations closer to the programme dates, and participants receive a briefing beforehand with questions to explore.

Observations from the visit feed directly into the capstone exercise, where participants compare what they saw with their own operations and with the improvement priorities identified during the week.

Expected Outcomes

Upon completion of this Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Training, participants will be able to:

• Present a clear map of their supply chain and its main weaknesses
• Recommend sourcing strategies for critical items
• Quantify logistics costs and identify savings opportunities
• Prepare forecasts and replenishment plans
• Set KPIs that link logistics performance to organisational goals
• Maintain a supply chain risk register and contingency plan
• Apply inventory policies that reduce stock-outs and excess stock
• Coordinate more effectively with ports, customs and carriers
• Lead a 90-day supply chain improvement plan

Participants return with practical models and templates they have already tested on their own data.

Institutional Application of Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Training

This programme supports organisations in strengthening:

• Supply chain strategy and policy
• Procurement planning and sourcing
• Supplier performance management
• Transport and freight management
• Port and customs coordination
• Warehouse and stores management
• Inventory control and stock accuracy
• Logistics cost management and budgeting
• Performance reporting and dashboards
• Risk management and business continuity
• Emergency and humanitarian logistics readiness
• Sustainability in logistics operations

Participants return with practical tools to improve:

• SCOR DS process maps
• Supplier evaluation matrices
• Should-cost and total cost models
• Cost-to-serve analysis
• Forecasting and replenishment templates
• KPI dashboards
• Supply chain risk registers
• ABC and VED inventory classifications

Organisations can benchmark their starting point with Risalat’s procurement maturity diagnostic and check readiness for digital tracking and reporting with the digital readiness assessment.

Regional Relevance & Application

Asia

South Asian economies trade heavily with each other and with East Asia; the Maldives draws most of its imports from India, China and Singapore. Port congestion and clearance times are a shared concern, and many countries are investing in new terminals and digital clearance.

Pacific

Pacific island states face high transport costs, low cargo volumes and exposure to natural hazards. ADB-financed port projects in Tonga, Nauru and Tuvalu show how infrastructure, institutional reform and maintenance funding are being combined.

Africa

Many African countries, including landlocked states, depend on corridor logistics and long port dwell times. Project units and health supply systems need stronger inventory control and risk planning to keep services running.

Middle East

Gulf states have invested in integrated port community platforms; ADB’s Smart Ports in the Pacific study cites Abu Dhabi’s Maqta Gateway as an example of a single platform combining customs, port bookings and trucking.

Europe

European organisations are adapting supply chains to sustainability and resilience requirements, now reflected in SCOR DS metrics.

In every region the same principle applies: reliable supply depends on the combination of infrastructure, processes, data and skilled people.

Host Country Profile – Maldives

Male is the capital and commercial centre of the Maldives, a nation of more than 1,190 small, low-lying coral islands, of which 187 are inhabited. Most government agencies, state-owned enterprises, importers and logistics firms are based in or around the city, which is connected by bridge to Hulhule, home of Velana International Airport, and to Hulhumale.

The country is a practical benchmark for island logistics. It relies heavily on imports to meet domestic and tourism needs, and in 2025 it received a record of more than two million tourists, all of whom depend on reliable supply chains for food, fuel and equipment. Maldives Ports Limited is relocating the main commercial port from Male, where space is limited and unloading a cargo vessel can take five days or more, to a much larger site at Thilafushi. Contracts have been signed for quay wall construction, and operations are scheduled to begin on 11 November 2027, after which Hulhumale port is planned to serve as a transshipment hub.

Velana International Airport opened its new passenger terminal in July 2025, designed for 7.5 million passengers a year. Official Maldivian mission guidance states that tourists of all nationalities receive a free 30-day visa on arrival, subject to a valid machine-readable passport, an onward ticket, proof of funds or a confirmed hotel booking, and an IMUGA traveller declaration submitted within 96 hours before travel. Participants should confirm current requirements before booking; Risalat provides visa advice to registered participants.

Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Training Deliverables

Every participant receives a full set of learning materials and support before, during and after the programme.

Before the Programme

• Participant Pre-Assessment
• Logistics and Supply Chain Readiness Assessment
• Logistics and Supply Chain Resource Pack
• Preparatory Reading Materials
• Complimentary Visa Support & Advisory

During the Programme

• Airport Pickup & Welcome Assistance
• Accommodation with Breakfast
• Welcome Networking Dinner
• Risalat Training Kit (Bag, Bottle, Mug, T-Shirt, Cap, Passport Cover, Pens, Notebook, Magnet & Keychain)
• Comprehensive Logistics and Supply Chain Training Manual
• SCOR DS Process Mapping Template
• Supplier Evaluation Matrix
• Should-Cost and Total Cost Model
• Cost-to-Serve Spreadsheet
• Forecasting and Replenishment Template
• Supply Chain KPI Dashboard
• Supply Chain Risk Register
• Inventory Classification Tool (ABC/VED)
• Practical Workshops & Simulations
• Group Discussions & Peer Learning
• Daily Lunch and Refreshments
• Full Access to Training Venue Facilities
• Mini Pad / Tablet with Digital Learning Materials
• Field Visit (where applicable)
• Entertaining City Tour

After the Programme

• Certificate of Completion
• Risalat Programme Participation Recognition Award
• Post-Training Reference Materials
• Supply Chain Improvement Plan
• Technical Visit Observation Notes
• Inventory Policy Checklist
• Post-Training Support & Follow-Up Guidance
• Programme Report

Ministries, port and logistics agencies, project units and companies can request a tailored in-house version built around their own supply chains and data through our request a proposal form.

Common Challenges in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, And How This Training Helps

How can we reduce stock-outs of critical items without holding too much inventory?

Day 6 covers safety stock, reorder points and selective inventory control, and Day 4 adds forecasting and collaborative replenishment.

How do we see where delays really occur in our supply chain?

Day 3 uses SCOR DS process mapping and the theory of constraints to locate bottlenecks, including port and clearance stages.

How can we prepare for a major change such as a port relocation?

The Day 3 case study on the move from Male to Thilafushi helps participants plan stakeholder coordination and transition risks.

How do we know what logistics really costs us?

Day 4 introduces total costing and activity-based costing so participants can build a cost-to-serve model.

How can we get better value from suppliers and carriers?

Day 2 covers sourcing strategy, price and cost analysis and negotiation practice.

How do we make the supply chain more resilient to disruption?

Day 5 builds a risk register, KPI dashboard and contingency plan, drawing on port projects in small island states.

How can we deal with excess and obsolete stock?

Day 6 sets out classification, review and disposal approaches that release cash and storage space.

How do we turn training into change at work?

The capstone exercise produces a 90-day improvement plan, supported by post-training follow-up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the programme?

Six days, ending with a technical visit and a capstone exercise in which participants prepare a supply chain improvement plan.

Does the programme use the latest SCOR model?

Yes. It uses the SCOR Digital Standard released by ASCM in 2022, with its Orchestrate, Plan, Order, Source, Transform, Fulfill and Return processes.

Which sites are visited?

The visit may cover port, cargo, warehouse or inter-island freight operations. Specific sites are confirmed with host organisations closer to the programme dates.

Is the programme suitable for public sector staff?

Yes. It is designed for ministries, agencies, project units, utilities and health supply systems as well as companies.

Do I need a visa to attend in Male?

Official Maldivian guidance states that tourists of all nationalities receive a free 30-day visa on arrival, subject to passport, onward ticket, funds or booking and IMUGA declaration requirements. Please confirm current rules before travel.

Training courses in MaleProcurement, Supply Chain & Logistics training courses

More training courses in Maldives · All programmes in Asia · Full training calendar