Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) has been appointed as the cargo ground handler for Virgin Australia’s new services from Melbourne to Hong Kong.

Hactl will provide terminal handling and all documentation on the five-times-weekly flights which began on 5 July, using Airbus A330-200 aircraft with 14 tonne bellyhold capacity.

Cargo sales on these Virgin Australia flights will be marketed by Virgin Atlantic Cargo, which also sells space on Virgin Australia’s existing long-haul services from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Los Angeles.

Hactl has handled cargo on Virgin Atlantic’s daily flights between Hong Kong and London Heathrow since they began in 1994.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s managing director, John Lloyd says: “We welcome this opportunity to be extending our long-standing working relationship with Hactl. Having worked together for over 23 years, the Hactl team are well aware of the high service levels we expect for our customers and we are confident they will play an important role in helping us develop this great new route for Virgin Australia.”

Hactl chief executive, Mark Whitehead says: “There is strong demand for air cargo capacity from Hong Kong to Australia driven increasingly by e-commerce, and the new services are well-placed to tap into growing perishables traffic from Australia, destined for Hong Kong and China.

“These new Virgin Australia flights add significantly to the impressive collective coverage of the Hactl carrier community of over 100 airlines, amplifying interline and hub-and-spoke opportunities.”