HACTL achieved second best annual record in 2012

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (HACTL) reported (15-Jan-2013) its second best annual cargo volume in 2012 with 2.8 million tonnes of cargo, an increase of 2% year-on-year, and 4.2% short of its all-time record of 2.9 million tonnes in 2010. In 4Q2012, HACTL handled 754,226 tonnes of cargo, up 6.2%, the best total tonnage and best annual growth in any quarter since 1Q2011. 4Q2012 was also the best quarter for exports in 2012: November's figure of 142,632 tonnes was the best in 2012, while December's was the third best. December's imports figure of 61,659 tonnes meanwhile made it 2012's top import month. The quarter was also positively impacted by traffic feeding through from the five new carriers signed up by HACTL since Sep-2012 and includes Air Astana's twice weekly Boeing 757, Globus Airlines with twice weekly 737s, SF Airlines with five times weekly 737Fs, Uni-top Airlines with chartered 747Fs, and Vladivostok Air with twice weekly A320s. [more - original PR]

HACTL: "2012 ended stronger than we expected. Despite the continuing uncertainty in Europe and the US, our figures have maintained a modest and steady recovery that hopefully will become a sustainable trend. 2013 will be challenging for us, as Cathay Pacific Airways migrates to self-handling and we relinquish their business in phases throughout the year. We are well-prepared, and our 100 other airline customers have been growing as a proportion of our total business, which will cushion the overall impact," Lilian Chan, executive director. Source: Company statement, 15-Jan-2013.