Hactl's April freight 10pc up on 2008 highs, but caution reigns

HONG KONG Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl), the airport's No 1 ground handler, has announced that April freight volume surged to 248,027 tonnes, up 41.9 per cent year on year - and 9.9 per cent up on the highs of April 2008.

Cumulative tonnage for the first four months of the year came to 884,770 tonnes, up 38.7 per cent year on year. Export volume grew 53.5 per cent in April to 138,123 tonnes. Cumulative export tonnage for the first four months was 476,569 tonnes, representing a year-on-year growth of 45.9 per cent, said the Hactl statement.

Import volume for April was 61,785 tonnes, representing an increase of 32.1 per cent year on year, while cumulative import tonnage for the first four months was 236,354 tonnes, up 39.2 per cent against the same period last year.

Transshipment volume for April increased 26.5 per cent year-on-year to 48,119 tonnes. Total transshipment volume from January to April was 171,847 tonnes, representing an increase of 21.6 per cent year-on-year.

Said marketing manager Lilian Chan: "While we expect that 2010 will be a strong year due to the reviving economy, we will stay prepared for the unexpected."

(Source: www.schednet.com)