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Hactl credits Hanjin bankruptcy for Hong Kong's last minute air cargo boost
HONG KONG Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) anticipates to surpass 2015 tonnage throughput in 2016 because of a late spike in demand.
Hactl CEO Mark Whitehead said that he expected the terminal operator to end 2016 up 2.8 per cent year on year with a 1.8 million tonne total.
The improved performance comes after a flat start to the year but an improved performance as 2016 drew to a close.
"In August the whole thing changed and we are now seeing very strong numbers coming through.
"I am expecting that 2016 to be a stronger year than 2015 by year end," said Mr Whitehead. "In August the whole thing changed and we are now seeing very strong numbers coming through.
Mr Whitehead credited the air freight gain to the bankruptcy of Korea's Hanjin Shipping that left thousands of containers stuck on ships throughout the world.
"The last thing we want is to take advantage of someone else's grief, but I think air cargo would almost certainly have benefitted positively from that saga, but I can't say how much because we don't have the numbers," he said.
Robert van de Weg of the Volga Dnepr Group agreed about the Hanjin collapse's boost to air freight, but Atlas Air felt nothing of the sort, reported London's Air Cargo News.
Looking ahead, Mr Whitehead was optimistic about the future despite the flat demand growth seen in the final three quarters of 2015 and the first three quarters of 2016.
"I believe the business is fundamentally robust, although you have ups and downs like in any business," he said.
"I personally believe if you take a longer term view and I think it is an upward trend and that's how I see the next few years.
"E-commerce growth can only be positive for air cargo, along with the huge number of passenger jets on order and the belly capacities they are able to offer," he said.
"We look to make constant enhancements on productivity and on processes, on making sure you are ahead and making sure you know what technology is available.
"I think our business is one of incremental change linked into two things. One is technology and innovation and the other is customer needs."
Hactl CEO Mark Whitehead said that he expected the terminal operator to end 2016 up 2.8 per cent year on year with a 1.8 million tonne total.
The improved performance comes after a flat start to the year but an improved performance as 2016 drew to a close.
"In August the whole thing changed and we are now seeing very strong numbers coming through.
"I am expecting that 2016 to be a stronger year than 2015 by year end," said Mr Whitehead. "In August the whole thing changed and we are now seeing very strong numbers coming through.
Mr Whitehead credited the air freight gain to the bankruptcy of Korea's Hanjin Shipping that left thousands of containers stuck on ships throughout the world.
"The last thing we want is to take advantage of someone else's grief, but I think air cargo would almost certainly have benefitted positively from that saga, but I can't say how much because we don't have the numbers," he said.
Robert van de Weg of the Volga Dnepr Group agreed about the Hanjin collapse's boost to air freight, but Atlas Air felt nothing of the sort, reported London's Air Cargo News.
Looking ahead, Mr Whitehead was optimistic about the future despite the flat demand growth seen in the final three quarters of 2015 and the first three quarters of 2016.
"I believe the business is fundamentally robust, although you have ups and downs like in any business," he said.
"I personally believe if you take a longer term view and I think it is an upward trend and that's how I see the next few years.
"E-commerce growth can only be positive for air cargo, along with the huge number of passenger jets on order and the belly capacities they are able to offer," he said.
"We look to make constant enhancements on productivity and on processes, on making sure you are ahead and making sure you know what technology is available.
"I think our business is one of incremental change linked into two things. One is technology and innovation and the other is customer needs."
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