Frontloading to avoid additional tariff costs combined with demand for machinery and perishables boosted Cathay Cargo’s volumes in July.
Cathay Cargo carried 11% more cargo in July this year than in July 2024, while Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 11%.
Last month, Cathay Cargo's air cargo volumes were also bolstered by postponed tariffs and demand from Southeast Asia and the Taiwan region to the Americas.
In the first seven months of 2025, the total tonnage also increased by 11% compared with the same period for 2024.
Cathay chief customer and commercial officer Lavinia Lau said: “In July, we saw increased cargo tonnage compared with the same month last year, reflecting the movement of air cargo ahead of the tariff timelines.
"Meanwhile, our capacity grew by 6% compared with the previous month, with strong demand from Southeast Asia to Hong Kong in particular, driven by machinery and perishables.
"Demand for our Cathay Fresh solution was buoyed by the seasonal movement of cherries from the United States. Looking ahead, the external environment remains uncertain and we will continue to stay vigilant and agile while serving demand where it arises.”
In the first half of the year, Cathay Cargo’s revenues increased by 2.2% year on year to HK$11.1bn, while cargo traffic in revenue freight tonne kilometres (RFTK) terms increased by 5.9% and total tonnage was up 11.4% to 801,000 tonnes.
This was despite the impact of US tariffs and the ending of the de minimis exemption for China and Hong Kong.
