Cathay cautiously optimistic about cargo

Cathay Pacific Cargo remains "cautiously optimistic" about the second half of 2018, with customer sentiment indicating that the market will improve in the traditionally stronger part of the year.
Nelson Chin, general manager cargo commercial, writing in the Hong Kong-based carrier’s Cargo Clan newsletter, said: "While China and Hong Kong have yet to experience the extreme capacity constraint seen towards the end of 2017, this is more than made up by greater demand on both intra and inter-trade between Asia and the rest of the world."
Chin said that the freighter operator’s overall network performance is good, in terms of volumes and yields, adding: "There has been a greater demand of specialised cargo product, and we have mounted more freighter charters compared to the same period last year.
"E-commerce continues to grow, and our location next to southern China has helped balance load factors both to and from Hong Kong."
He continued: "While there are question marks on whether oil prices will continue to increase, or if the trade dispute will move beyond primary and non-finished consumer goods, speaking to our customers there remains a general sense that the market will improve as we move into the traditionally stronger half of the year.
"This is now a good time to start taking a long-term view and look at how adopting technology will add more value and meet the future expectations of our customers."
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