Hactl increases gain

HONG Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) handled a total of 245,352 tonnes in June, up 30.5 per cent year-on-year. Tonnage throughput for the second quarter was 752,316 tonnes, while tonnage throughput for the first half of the year was 1,389,059 tonnes, representing a year-on-year growth of 39.1 per cent and 38.4 per cent respectively.

Export volume was 134,138 tonnes for June and 414,384 tonnes for the second quarter, representing a strong increase of 38.6 per cent and 49.4 per cent year-on-year for the respective periods. Cumulative export tonnage for the first half of the year was 752,830 tonnes, surged by 46.4 per cent against the same period last year. Export volume to China, Europe and the USA for the first half of the year recorded robust growth of 48.8 per cent, 45.7 per cent and 45.5 per cent as the global economy continued to rebound from a low base in 2009.

Import volume for June registered a 27.2 per cent increase on a year-on-year basis to 65,056 tonnes. Aggregate import volume for the second quarter was 191,635 tonnes, up 29.9 per cent. Cumulative import tonnage for the first half of the year was 366,204 tonnes, up 35.4 per cent against the same period last year. Import volume from Europe and the USA for the first half of the year increased by 33.6 per cent and 56.7 per cent respectively against the same period last year.

The transhipment volume was 46,158 tonnes for June, and 146,297 tonnes for the second quarter, representing a year-on-year growth of 15.3 per cent and 26.3 per cent for the respective periods. Total transhipment volume for the first six months was 270,025 tonnes, up 23.2 per cent year-on-year.

Lilian Chan, general manager, marketing and customer service, said: “While we are delighted to see the continued strong tonnage growth brought by the better-than-expected economic recovery in the first half of the year, we remain cautious over the global economy’s long-term growth prospect as the looming European debt crisis and the uncertainties in the US’s economic growth continue to pose impacts to cargo traffic around the globe. In face of the possible challenges, we will, as always, strive to uphold our consistent quality service provision and sustain Hong Kong’s status as the world’s No 1 air cargo hub.”