Hong Kong Air Terminals Limited (HACTL), forwarder DB Schenker and Emirates coordinated the transport of 62 horses for the Longines Hong Kong Masters, moving them from Liege to Hong Kong.

Hactl handled all 62 animals on their arrival from Liege, on board a freighter flight operated by carrier Emirates SkyCargo. The horses were unloaded from the aircraft and transferred to Hactl’s Livestock Handling Centre, specially located to minimise exposure to potentially stressful ramp noise.

The horses were ferried to the Centre in their air stalls, and then utilising a specially-designed gently-sloping ramp to prevent leg injuries they boarded waiting air-conditioned horse-boxes arranged by The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Hactl repeated the entire exercise a week later for the departing animals. It deployed a team of highly-trained equine professionals, to assist in handling the high value animals on arrival and departure. 

Nabil Sultan, Emirates divisional senior vice president, Cargo says: “We are proud to have been chosen to be the carriage for this exciting and prestigious event, giving us the opportunity to showcase our expertise in horse  transportation. Our long-standing, close working relationship with Hactl helped to ensure that everything went entirely to plan.”

Hactl chief executive Mark Whitehead comments: “We were delighted to be involved in this high-profile event for the third year running, and to be entrusted once again with the handling of its valuable equine competitors.”