Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) is forecasting 14 per cent growth this year in air freight after it handled more than one million tonnes in the first eight months. This is a month ahead of the million-tonne milestone reached last year. 'We have done better in the last couple of years than expected,' said Anthony Charter, Hactl managing director. 'We have experienced an average compound growth of more than 11 per cent since we began operations in 1976, and for this year we are forecasting about a 14 per cent growth,' he added. About 146,386 tonnes of air cargo passed through Hactl's two cargo terminals last month - a 16.7 per cent increase over the previous August and one of the highest monthly totals in Hactl's 21-year history. Hactl said its cargo handling facilities at Kai Tak would reach capacity before the Chek Lap Kok airport opened next year. 'There are things we can do such as implementing embargoes on receiving cargo until aircraft bookings are confirmed [to ensure] we are not used as a storage facility,' said Mr Charter. 'Other new services like the pre-customer arrival customs clearance service also helps to improve the turnaround of cargo and trucks.' Construction delays continue at Hactl's SuperTerminal 1 at Chek Lap Kok, which has been hit by bad weather.