Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. (Hactl), Hong Kong’s largest cargo terminal operator, recently hosted the 105th meeting of International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Dangerous Goods Board.
The three-day event took place in Hactl’s in-house conference facility, and was attended by the 11 members of the Dangerous Goods Board, together with some 50 additional observers, including dangerous goods experts from leading airlines and representatives of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations. Hactl Operation Training Manager Simon Yap also attended as an observer to the board, as he has done since 2005.
The meeting discussed the latest industry developments, a proposal from airlines relating to the Dangerous Goods Regulations, ICAO Working Papers from panel members and other issues relating to the carriage of dangerous goods by air.
“It was a great honor for Hactl to be chosen to host such an important meeting, and to welcome so many dangerous goods experts from the global airline industry,” Mr. Yap said. “Hactl is passionate about aviation safety, and we are pleased to support the important work of IATA’s DGB. The meetings were an invaluable opportunity to update our knowledge, and to exchange views and ideas on this critically important aspect of the air cargo industry.”
The board meets twice a year, and meetings are usually scheduled prior to ICAO Working Group or panel meetings. The DGB consists of 12 members, appointed by the Cargo Services Conference, each being an expert in the dangerous goods field, and each serving on the panel for a period of four years. The current DGB Chairman is Patrick N. Oppenheimer, Senior Manager of Safety/Dangerous Goods at FedEx.