Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) said its tonnage throughput for the first month of 2010 reached 212,623 tonnes, representing a significant year-on-year growth of 48.9 per cent, although volumes in January2009 were severely depressed.

Export volume in January increased 52.3 per cent against last year to 115,297 tonnes while import volume for the month also showed a year-on-year growth of 64.6 per cent, with 60,293 tonnes registered. Transhipment tonnage in January recorded an increase of 21.7 per cent, with a total of 37,033 tonnes of cargo being handled.

Hong Kong’s second cargo terminal, Asia Airfreight Terminal Co Ltd (AAT) also saw healthy growth in its tonnage throughput for January with a 32 per cent growth year-on-year to 48,036 tonnes.

Export cargo registered 32,333 tonnes, a growth of 38 per cent while import volume for January was 15,454 tonnes, up 21 per cent year-on-year. Transhipment volume was 250 tonnes, a growth of 13 per cent over last year.

“It is encouraging that we have recorded a significant year-on-year growth in the first month of 2010, however, it is still 11 per cent lower when compared with the year-end rush of December, we are still a long way from pre-crisis levels,” cautioned AAT general manager, corporate development, Nelson Lee.