Cargo volumes at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) continue to grow in 2018 with a seven per cent year-on-year increase in February.
The world’s largest cargo airport handled 315,000 tonnes in February, following on from a year-on-year surge of 9.9 per cent in January, when HKIA handled 410,000 tonnes.
HKIA handled 725,000 tonnes of cargo in the first two months of the year, up 8.6 per cent on 2017, with exports increasing 12 per cent and transhipments rising seven per cent, with strong trade to and from Europe and North America.
In March, HKIA was recognised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a partner airport of the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) programme, recognising standards for handling pharmaceuticals.
Its three cargo terminals, Asia Airfreight Terminal, Cathay Pacific Services and Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, local carrier Cathay Pacific and ramp handlers Hong Kong Airport Services, Jardine Aviation Services and SATS HK have all achieved IATA CEIV.
Pharmaceutical tonnage has experienced annual growth of 12 per cent over the past four years and is expected to increase at 16 per cent per annum from 2016 to 2023.