Hactl announces tonnage throughput for the third quarter of 2008

(10 October 2008, Hong Kong:) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) announced today its tonnage throughput for September, the third quarter and the first nine months of 2008.

A total of 221,882 tonnes and 661,505 tonnes were handled in September and the third quarter, representing a year-on-year decline of 8.0% and 4.1% respectively. Tonnage throughput for the first nine months of the year was 1,939,896 tonnes, representing a cumulative year-on-year growth of 2.3%.

Export volume was 125,893 tonnes for September and 365,926 tonnes for the third quarter, representing a year-on-year decrease of 8.8% and 6.2% respectively. Despite the current market challenges, export tonnage to Africa and Middle East registered a progressive year-on-year growth of 24.0% and 18.2% in the third quarter. Cumulative export tonnage for the first nine months of the year was 1,059,988 tonnes, up 0.3% against the same period of last year.

A total of 53,110 tonnes and 163,878 tonnes of import cargo were handled in September and in the third quarter, registered a significant year-on-year drop of 12.8% and 7.5% respectively. Imports from South East Asia region remained the key driving force for the import tonnage, registering a year-on-year up of 0.8% in the third quarter. However, volume from Europe recorded a year-on-year decrease of 15.0% in the third quarter. For the first nine months, the total import volume was 501,892 tonnes, representing a slight year-on-year drop of 0.6%.

The transshipment volume was 42,879 tonnes for September and 131,701 for the third quarter, representing a climb of 1.4% and 7.6% year-on-year respectively. Total transshipment volume for the first nine months was 378,016 tonnes, up 13.0% year-on-year.

The summary of the import, export and transshipment volumes handled in September, the third quarter and the first nine months of year 2008 is tabulated as follows: