Cathay Cargo has become the first carrier to activate the Air-Land Fresh Lane initiated by the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong SAR, enabling seamless imports of fruit, live and chilled seafood across the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) and into the wider Greater Bay Area (GBA). Perishable shipments can travel from overseas via Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to the rest of the GBA after entering Zhuhai by temperature-controlled truck equipped with an accredited e-lock and GPS under the same air waybill.
In addition, the shipments of live seafood and fruit will receive a “Certificate for Transshipment Confirmation” issued by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (C&ED). This streamlines the General Administration of Customs of China’s “Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Inspection and Quarantine of Imported Fruit/Live Aquatic Animals”, allowing perishable goods to be imported into the Chinese Mainland via Hong Kong in transit. Supported by Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to exempt food importers from the registration requirement, this Certificate not only expedites the process, but also lowers costs for customers.
The newly opened temperature-controlled inspection facility at the integrated inspection facility of HZMB Zhuhai Port provides greater assurance for any spot-checks or sampling of fresh goods at the checkpoint. Overall, the Air-Land Fresh Lane simplifies both the booking process and offers real-time savings over alternative trucking arrangements from Hong Kong into the wider GBA for perishables shipments.
“The new Air-Land Fresh Lane is great news for shippers looking to send premium perishable products into the heart of the GBA,” said General Manager Cargo Commercial James Evans. “The whole of the GBA is our home market, and as well as its export strength, we believe the GBA and its 86 million inhabitants also exert phenomenal consumer power. We can see high-quality perishables finding a new and exciting market with this new process, thanks to our partners at the Airport Authority Hong Kong, further strengthening Hong Kong International Airport’s status as the world’s busiest air cargo hub.”
The inaugural Air-Land Fresh Lane shipment for live seafood took place in mid-August, featuring a consignment of live lobsters transported from Melbourne by Cathay Cargo. This successful trial was soon followed by another shipment of live geoducks from Los Angeles, further validating the process. Both consignments transitioned seamlessly from aircraft to temperature-controlled trucks and crossed the border without delay, demonstrating the reliability and efficiency of this new initiative.
Cathay Cargo is an expert at perishable shipments, holding International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Fresh certification, while its Cathay Fresh solution is a customisable cool-chain product offering the assurance of temperature control from start to finish.
This expedited perishable truck route complements Cathay Cargo’s other intermodal links across the GBA, including scheduled and chartered trucking services to six cities and a sea lane carrying bonded cargo to and from Dongguan for direct imports and exports via Hong Kong International Airport airside.
Alongside daily freighter flights to Guangzhou, this latest step serves to further strengthen Cathay Cargo’s seamless intermodal links in the GBA, and enables perishables from its extensive global network to arrive in peak condition for the GBA market.
