SuperTerminal licence awarded

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) has issued the certificate of operational readiness for SuperTerminal 1 to meet conditions of the Airport Authority's franchise requirements.

The certificate signified the cargo-terminal operator was capable of handling 5,000 tonnes of air cargo per day at SuperTerminal 1 from Tuesday.

Hactl managing director Anthony Charter said: 'The 42-month period requested for the project in our original proposal became a contractual period of 36 months.' He said Hactl's non-contractual requirement to begin operations on July 6 pressured the company further because the Government had given it notice to vacate facilities at Kai Tak by that date.

'Despite the problems we have encountered, we have been able to meet the contractual date for certification,' he said. Hactl has handled all export cargo for all flights at SuperTerminal 1 since August 14.

The operator, which handles 80 per cent of SAR air cargo, expects all inbound cargo handled at Kai Tak Terminal 2 to be transferred to SuperTerminal 1 this month.

Hactl was attacked by politicians and industry officials for succumbing to political pressure to open its terminal on July 6 instead of August 18.