Asia Airfreight Terminal’s (AAT)state-of-the-art Terminal 2 facility, builtat a cost of HK$1.75 billion, received itsoccupational permit and was declaredpractically completed at the end ofDecember.
AAT general manager – planning &services, Nelson Lee said the new truckpark at the four-level facility, which hasbeen built adjacent to Terminal 1, wasput to use immediately after the RFIDbasedtruck control system was readyon December 26, 2006.
"From mid-night of December 27,2006, AAT started using T2 for processingexports of pre-packed cargo on theground floor of the facility," he said. Headded that the facility, which offers atotal of 130,000 sqm of warehouse area,would be more significantly utilisedfrom February, 2007 after all systemswere installed.
Not only does the computer systemallow automatic truck docks allocation,the installation of a management toolwithin the system also allows AAT tomonitor service standards within thefacility.
With the new T2 capacity, AAThopes to grow organically and alsohave a better chance of attracting newcustomer airlines which fly into HongKong, thanks to the Airport Authority’spromotional efforts. Presently, negotiationsare taking place between AAT and customers about occupancy in T2.
Lee said AAT would use its Terminal1, which has a 600,000 tonnes designcapacity, for handling dedicated exportof pre-packed cargo and T2 for handlingimport and export bulk cargo,including empty ULDs. At its peakwhen T1 capacity was nearly full lastyear, AAT also had to rent four unitsat Sun Hung Kai’s Air Freight ForwardingCentre to handle additional 40,000tonnes capacity.
Provisional AAT figures show that ithandled 617,084 tonnes last year, up6.67 percent versus the figures in 2005.Lee said that AAT’s T2 was a commonterminal and would handle differenttypes of cargo and space would be allocatedto customers accordingly. It hasa design capacity of 910,000 tonnes.
Asked whether AAT would be biddingfor the construction of HongKong International Airport’s thirdcargo terminal, Lee said the companywas still considering whether there wasany reason or business sense for AATto bid for this facility.
"We have just opened T2, and accordingto our projection, we will notrequire additional handling capacityso soon. AAT also has plans for its ownT3 which it forecasts will be requiredbetween 2016 and 2018," he said.
Regarding competition from neighbouringairports, Lee said there wasdefinitely competition from them,but as the cake was getting larger andHong Kong had the added advantageof price, the territory would still have a‘fair share of the cake".
– Wong Joon San
