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Russell Barling

The airport's biggest freight terminal operator last month continued to reap a windfall stemming from the closure of United States west coast ports.

Chek Lap Kok's biggest cargo handler, Hongkong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl), last month moved 23 per cent more freight year on year, or more than 180,000 tonnes, to stay on course for a record year.

Hactl said the strong growth was a spin-off from the congestion caused by labour unrest at the US ports and a continued boom during the holiday peak season. US exports again led the surge.

Hactl's handling record for a year is 1.75 million tonnes, set in 2000.

'It appears almost certain that we will break the record because we are already at 1.5 million tonnes with two months to go,' said Hactl marketing manager Summit Chan.

'Although it's beginning to taper down a bit, we should still reach 1.8 million tonnes plus.'

Volume moving through Hactl in the first 10 months was up a comparative 20 per cent.

The west coast port lock-out intensified demand for charter flights, particularly in Hactl's third quarter, where the operator saw a comparative 2,200 per cent surge in cargo attributable to non-scheduled flights.

From July to September, Hactl handled almost 15,000 tonnes of cargo moved by charter operators, while its year-to-date charter volumes jumped a comparative 800 per cent to 27,400 tonnes.

Traditionally, charter tonnage accounts for about one-fifth of 1 per cent of Hactl's overall tonnage, but this year it has contributed more than 2 per cent.

'It seems like the congestion problems on the west coast are beginning to ease. So we anticipate a fall-off in charter flights for the remainder of the year,' Mr Chan said.

Hactl handles about 82 per cent of the airport's cargo, with Singapore's Asia Airfreight Terminals moving the remainder.



Port woes will help Hactl achieve record year