The prolonged trade tensions between the US and China have cast a long shadow over regional air cargo volumes. With Hong Kong closely tied to cross-Pacific e-commerce flows, logistics providers have been among the first to feel the pinch of additional tariffs and shifting regulatory conditions.
“GLSHK anticipates that the additional tariffs imposed on China and Hong Kong will affect air cargo volumes, especially for e-commerce shipments on established US-bound routes,” Ellis Chan, Business Development Manager at GLSHK, said. “The IMF’s projection of a 0.5 percent to 1.0 percent slowdown in global GDP growth in 2025 further underscores the potential medium-term risks to demand.”
In response, GLSHK has adopted a dual-track strategy to mitigate disruption. This includes strengthening collaboration with freight forwarders and airlines to optimise revenue streams while simultaneously expanding market reach into less trade-sensitive regions. “A key strategy involves expanding and capitalising airlines’ cargo data documentation needs on growing flight routes to emerging markets such as the Middle East and South Asia,” Chan explained.
Logistics boom
Even as the transpacific airfreight landscape undergoes dramatic transformation, new growth opportunities are rapidly taking shape elsewhere. The Asia-Europe trade lane is expanding, while Southeast Asia emerges as a major logistics and production hub.
“To align with the expanding Asia-Europe trade corridor and the growing prominence of Southeast Asia as a logistics hub, GLSHK is proactively adapting its product and service offerings,” said Keith Lam, Business Solution and Infrastructure Manager at GLSHK. This includes meticulous monitoring of new flight route development across Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
“We are closely monitoring the development of new flight routes connecting Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia, and strategically positioning our product development roadmap to support this growth,” Lam added. GLSHK’s adaptation goes beyond geographic realignment—it is built on a foundation of digital innovation.
“Our commitment to innovation is reflected in the deployment of advanced solutions to cater to the operational needs in digital cargo, Customs compliance (including ACI and PLACI), and air postal execution,” Lam said. These services are vital in supporting the next wave of freight forwarders and airlines aiming to thrive in dynamic markets.
Enhancing EzySuite
GLSHK’s flagship digital platform, EzySuite, has been a cornerstone of its service innovation. As international regulations grow increasingly stringent and e-commerce volumes surge, the platform has evolved to meet new demands in scalability, automation, and compliance.
“To meet the evolving demands of the cargo community and the global market, GLSHK is continuously advancing its EzySuite platform with a strong focus on regulatory compliance, operational scalability and automating workflows,” Lam said. This evolution is necessary in a world where pre-loading compliance data—such as PLACI requirements—has become a prerequisite.
“As more countries implement Pre-Loading Advance Cargo Information (PLACI) requirements, the need for accurate and timely data submission—prior to flight loading—has become increasingly critical,” Lam explained. To address this, GLSHK embedded intelligent automation into EzySuite, including dynamic validation rules tailored to different jurisdictions.
“We proactively upgraded the platform’s capacity two years ago to accommodate the market needs for efficiently handling growing volume of e-commerce data, whether from freight forwarders to airlines or from airlines to customs authorities,” he noted.
Leveraging emerging tech
Technology is not just a value-add—it is increasingly central to GLSHK’s operational DNA. The firm has been an early adopter of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and IoT to streamline cargo handling, enhance visibility, and support predictive analytics.
“GLSHK is at the forefront of digital technologies in the air cargo industry,” Lam emphasised. One area of notable advancement is the adoption of IATA’s ONE Record API, which standardises data exchange.
“By adopting the IATA ONE Record API standard, GLSHK has successfully implemented IoT solutions to capture and share real-time shipment events, enabling seamless data exchange across stakeholders,” he said.
The use of machine learning for cargo movement predictions is also advancing rapidly. “Machine learning models have been deployed in cargo movement predictions, enhancing planning accuracy and responsiveness,” Lam explained. Looking ahead, AI will play a more integrated role. “GLSHK is preparing to leverage AI to assist users with data preparation and validation, further streamlining workflows and ensuring data integrity throughout the supply chain,” he added.
Connectivity and monitoring
In tandem with expanding digital services, data security and regulatory compliance remain top priorities. Lam detailed the company’s longstanding commitment to best practices.
“To ensure robust data security and compliance with international regulatory standards, GLSHK adopted the NIST Cybersecurity Framework five years ago and has since conducted annual cybersecurity assessments,” he said.
On the connectivity front, GLSHK’s EzyCargo platform enables real-time, standardised communication between forwarders, airlines, and terminals. “GLSHK’s EzyCargo leverages the IATA ONE Record framework to enable seamless, standardised data exchange,” Lam said. Plans are underway to enhance this with additional services like piece-level tracking.
The EDMP platform provides another layer of oversight. “GLSHK’s EDMP platform is a certified solution built on the IATA Cargo iQ standards,” Lam said. This enables milestone-based performance benchmarking across the logistics chain. “Insights gained from EDMP have empowered stakeholders to proactively address service deviations and enhance overall reliability,” he noted.
