Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) had 11.5 percent growth in tonnage through its SuperTerminal 1 base in the first half of 2014, compared to the same period in 2013.
“When we parted company with Cathay Pacific in 2013, we expected a long uphill struggle to replace this significant element of our business. In reality, we have quickly made up a substantial proportion of the traffic through new account wins, and organic growth among our 100 airline clients,” Hactl Chief Executive Mark Whitehead said.
Imports increased 13.6 percent year over year, to a total of 243,287 tonnes. Exports grew by 8.8 percent, reaching 489,624 tonnes. Transshipments showed the largest percentage growth, to 64,849 tonnes – up 34.2 percent.
“The growth in our transshipment traffic – while currently still the smallest part of our business – is very interesting, as it reflects the continuing development of Hong Kong as the preferred regional transshipment hub,” Whitehead said. “The transshipment result is also gratifying, as it rewards our recent drive to promote Hacis, our added-value logistics arm. This provides scheduled road feeders into and out of mainland China, which more and more carriers are using as a safe platform to extend their reach beyond Hong Kong.”