Global freight traffic ‘sluggish’

GLOBAL freight traffic experienced a modest +1.6 per cent year-over-year growth in September 2012, according to an Airports Council International (ACI) report.
However, results across regions were mixed. Africa recorded a decline of -4.8 per cent, both Europe and North America, -1.5 per cent. 
In contrast, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America-Caribbean achieved more ‘robust’ growth figures – +6 per cent, +5.3 per cent and +4.4 per cent respectively.
Although the top three international hubs enjoyed increases  – Hong Kong (+6.8 per cent), Shanghai (+2.2) and Memphis (+1.9 per cent), 13 leading cargo airports witnessed a year-over-year reduction in tonnage. 
ACI’s world’s economics director Rafael Echevarne states: Freight traffic continues to give a mixed picture from month-to-month. With an overall deterioration in international trade in 2012, it is no surprise to see freight traffic in a sluggish state declining by -0.7 per cent for the same period.”