Hactl announces best year-to-date air cargo result since January 2011

HONG KONG Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl), the major ground handler at the airport - the world's biggest air cargo hub - posted its best year-to-date quarterly result since January 2011.

At the close of the third quarter, September exports were up two per cent to 123,343 tonnes, the biggest increase since the post Chinese New Year bounce of March 2012. Imports were up 9.3 per cent at 58,264 tonnes, the biggest jump since January 2012, said the company.

Transshipments were also up 13.6 per cent against 2011 at 56,154 tonnes, continuing the strong trend of the past year, said the company statement. The month's total of 237,761 tonnes was the highest monthly throughput since March, marking the best year-on-year growth of 6.3 per cent since February.

The third quarter of 2012 saw Hactl handle a total of 697,791 tonnes - the strongest quarter of 2012 so far, and the second highest since the final three months of 2010's bumper year.

Results for 2012 in the first nine months were also positive: the cumulative January-September total of 2,023,293 tonnes was 0.7 per cent up year on year, marking the best year-on-year cumulative growth recorded in any month since January 2011, said Hactl.

"The year continues to look positive, and to show better results than anticipated. The figures for the second and third quarters are very encouraging, and the totals for the year so far would be even stronger had it not been for a disappointing start to 2012," said Hactl executive director Lilian Chan.

"Exports from China are proving more resilient than many predicted and imports are looking better again, and transshipments continue to play an increasingly important part in our overall throughput, endorsing Hong Kong's growing role as Asia's cargo hub," she said.

"Barring unforeseeable events, 2012 should end better than expected. The slow but steady recovery in our figures also gives us reason to believe that 2013 trends should continue positively, and that we are back to sustained - if modest - overall industry growth again," Ms Chan said.