HKIA targets e-commerce growth with network and cargo expansion
Hong Kong International Airport plans to expand its global air network and cargo capacity to strengthen its role as a hub for cross-border e-commerce, citing a rise in its share of southern China's air export demand from 24 per cent in 2019 to an estimated 46 per cent in 2026.
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) will continue expanding its global air network and cargo capacity to reinforce its role as a gateway for cross-border e-commerce, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has said.
Chapman Fong, the authority's deputy director of airport operations, made the remarks on the second day of the Super Terminal Expo. He noted that the airport had been named the world's busiest cargo airport 15 times since 2010 and currently handles 5 million tonnes of cargo annually.
Fong called the e-commerce sector crucial for the airport, saying its share of southern China's air export demand had risen from 24 per cent in 2019 to an estimated 46 per cent in 2026. He said the authority planned to sharpen the airport's competitiveness as a “two-way gateway” to help mainland firms go global and bring international goods to customers in the Greater Bay Area.
HKIA offers flexibility with 220 destinations and 24-hour customs clearance at its cargo terminals, accepting goods as late as three hours before departure. Fong said the authority would continue to expand its network and capacity and leverage the three-runway system to help e-commerce companies grow in new markets.
Beyond the airport, Fong highlighted the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park as a way to bring cargo services closer to manufacturers and exporters in the Greater Bay Area. Security screening, palletizing and freight acceptance can be completed in Dongguan, with goods travelling by sea directly to the airport's restricted area for onward shipment. He estimated the model would cut costs by about 50 per cent and processing time by one-third compared with traditional methods. The first phase of the permanent facility is scheduled to commence operation in the first half of next year with an annual handling capacity of 1 million tonnes.
With factories relocating from the mainland to Southeast Asia, Fong said the authority was pitching HKIA's network and services to potential Southeast Asian partners. The airport launched the “HKIA Vietnam-Hong Kong Express Lane” in August, offering a land-air intermodal solution for outbound shipments from Vietnam to worldwide destinations in as little as 48 hours. To promote cargo digitalization, Fong pointed to the one-stop HKIA Cargo Data Platform, which connects logistics players for information sharing and collaboration, including real-time tracking and import and export declarations.
