(9th January 2006, Hong Kong :) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) today reported its air cargo throughput for December, the fourth quarter and for the whole year of 2005. A total of 222,449 tonnes were handled in December, up 10.9% against the same month in 2004. Total tonnage handled in the fourth quarter was 676,998 tonnes, increased by 8.3% year-on-year. The highest yearly tonnage throughput ever was recorded in year 2005 - a total of 2,432,759 tonnes were being handled, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.5%.

The export sector showed an 8.7% year-on-year growth in December, with a total of 123,179 tonnes of export cargo being handled. Export tonnage for the fourth quarter was 391,828 tonnes, up 6.9 % against the same quarter in 2004. Total export volume for 2005 reached 1,376,132 tonnes, up 8.2% against the previous year. Satisfactory performance was recorded in export to the Mainland China (+18.4%), the U.S market (+11.4%) and the European market (+8.7%) in year 2005.

A total of 63,754 tonnes of import volume were handled in December, and 180,289 tonnes in the fourth quarter last year, representing an increase of 5.1% and 4.4% on a year-on-year basis respectively. Total import tonnage for the whole year registered a slight year-on-year decline of 2.7% to 674,204 tonnes, driven down by the year-on-year decline experienced in the first half of the year.

In the transshipment sector, handling volume was 35,516 tonnes for December and 104,881 tonnes for the fourth quarter last year, up 33.3% and 22.5% year-on-year respectively. Cumulative transshipment volume was 382,423 tonnes, up 28.6% year-on-year.

"We are very pleased to have achieved a new tonnage record in 2005 and at the same time maintaining the same level of efficiency for the industry. The fact that air cargo volume in Hong Kong grows from strength to strength underlines that Hong Kong remains as the premier air cargo hub in the region," said Lilian Chan, Hactl's General Manager, Marketing & Customer Service. "We are mindful that we will not be complacent with our new tonnage record, and we are committed to providing services that add value to our customers and to the industry," Lilian added.