Hongkong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) is considering opening an inland collection centre for air freight in Huangpu by the first quarter of next year to supplement its existing SuperLink China Direct services, which carry cargo northwards from Chek Lap Kok. Hactl marketing director Summit Chan said the company was in negotiations with mainland authorities on the conditions of such a facility, in particular regulatory issues and integrated customs for the freight to bypass the lengthy customs wait at Lok Ma Chau. It is also in talks with freight agents who handle the movement of cargo from factory to airport. 'We have to go to where the cargo is, which is not Hong Kong any longer. Even if we lose money initially, we would be happy, because we can at least help divert some of the traffic away from competing airports, such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen,' Mr Chan said. 'We want to try and integrate our activities as far north as possible.' The facility, which is slated for the free trade zone at Huangpu, would not be very capital intensive and would be opened as soon as possible, Mr Chan said. 'We need lots of space, but there will not be much automation. We will bring in cargo and palletise it, if we can, then move it down to Hong Kong. The goods will not spend much time up there.' The Airport Authority, which estimates that 70 per cent of Chek Lap Kok's cargo volumes are linked to the Pearl River Delta, had proposed a similar freight consolidation facility at Nansha under its 20-year plan for the development of Chek Lap Kok.