The world’s busiest cargo hub Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) posted a 1.4 per cent decline in cargo traffic in September due mainly to falling export shipments.
Cargo and airmail throughput was 431,000 tonnes, and was also affected by to Typhoon Mangkhut which resulted in no flight movement for more than 20 hours.
The reduction in cargo throughput was mainly attributed to a four per cent decrease in exports. Transshipments continued to be the relatively stronger cargo category, achieving during the month a three per cent year-on-year (YOY) growth.
Amongst the key trading regions, traffic to and from Europe and Japan declined most significantly.
Over the first nine months of 2018, HKIA handled 3.75 million tonnes of cargo and airmail, representing a YOY increase of 2.6 per cent. On a 12-month rolling basis, cargo and airmail throughput reached 5.1 million tonnes, a 3.3 per cent YOY surge.
