Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd said freight volume rose 19 percent to a monthly record in September as the threatened closure of US West Coast ports triggered record demand. Singaporean and South Korean air cargo handlers also reported gains.
The Hong Kong company, which processes almost 80 percent of the city's air freight, said in a statement it handled 166,691 tons in September. Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd. said freight volume in the month grew 7.8 percent, while South Korea's Incheon international airport said volume rose 3.5 percent.
"News of the potential lockout at the US West Coast sea ports prior to their actual shutdowns reportedly affected some shift of cargo from sea to air freight, contributing to the growth in the third quarter," said Summit Chan, Hong Kong Air Cargo's director of marketing and customer service.
The ports reopened Wednesday after a 10-day shutdown over a dispute between dockworkers and shippers. The dispute held up hundreds of vessels and forced companies to ship goods by air, benefiting carriers such as Korea's Asiana Airlines Inc Korean Air Co, the country's biggest carrier, said last week it didn't have enough cargo space available to handle the increased demand.
Hong Kong Air Cargo said volume in the third quarter grew 24 percent from the same period last year to 486,071 tons. Volume in the weeks starting Sept. 16 and Sept. 23 reached 40,006 tons and 42,050 tons respectively, breaking the previous weekly record of 39,871 tons in the week of Nov. 13, 2000.
Singapore Airport Terminal Services, which handles about 80 percent of cargo traffic at the island's Changi Airport, said it handled 121,560 tons of cargo and mail last month, the highest volume since March.
"It's always very high in September as companies ship cargo for Christmas," said company spokesman Mah Tze Chiang.
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