It is the 13th time since 2010 that HKIA has been the busiest cargo airport on the planet. It lost the number one position in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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“We are proud to have claimed the top spot for air cargo throughput once again. This accomplishment demonstrates HKIA’s resilience, unparalleled efficiency and world-class cargo services,” said Jack So, chairman of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK).

To capture future growth opportunities, HKIA is focusing on the high-value and fast-growing segments. HKIA is the first airport in the world to attain the full suite of Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) certifications from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the handling of high-value goods, including pharmaceuticals, perishables, live animals and lithium batteries.

In response to the rapid rise of e-commerce, an array of developments are progressing full steam at HKIA to capture the tremendous opportunities. In 2023, HKIA saw the completion of the Cainiao Smart Gateway, developed by Alibaba Group’s logistics arm, and the expansion of DHL’s Central Asia Hub, which increased its capacity by 50%. Meanwhile, United Parcel Service has announced its plan to establish a new hub facility at HKIA.

To enhance connectivity with the Greater Bay Area (GBA), HKIA has launched a novel cargo sea-air transshipment operation which enables security screening, palletisation, cargo acceptance and other services to be completed upstream at the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park before the cargo is shipped to HKIA by sea for air transshipment to worldwide destinations.

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Conversely, a similar process is in place for international imports to the Mainland. The new model revolutionises the way HKIA supports transhipment and will reinforce HKIA’s role as the most critical international cargo gateway for the GBA.