HONG KONG - Hong Kong International Airport has again secured the title of being the world’s busiest cargo airport for 2023 in terms of total volume, according to the latest data released on Monday by Airports Council International.

The Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a statement that the HKIA handled 4.3 million tonnes of cargo last year, adding that this was the 13th time since 2010 that HKIA was named the busiest cargo airport in the world.

“We are proud to have claimed once again the top spot for air cargo throughput. This accomplishment demonstrates HKIA’s resilience, unparalleled efficiency and world-class cargo services,” Jack So, AAHK chairman, was quoted as saying in the statement.   

To ensure adequate capacity will meet long-term demand, HKIA is expanding into a Three-runway System, which will enable the airport to handle 10 million tonnes of cargo annually

“Air cargo is a key driver of the growth of Hong Kong’s logistics industry and overall economic development. AAHK shall continue to work tirelessly with our air cargo community to further strengthen HKIA’s competitiveness as a global cargo hub,” he added.

To ensure adequate capacity will meet long-term demand, HKIA is expanding into a Three-runway System, which will enable the airport to handle 10 million tonnes of cargo annually.

The AAHK said the system is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with all three runways operating.

It added that the airport is focusing on high-value and fast-growing segments to capture future growth opportunities.

Last year, HKIA saw the completion of the Cainiao Smart Gateway, developed by Alibaba Group’s logistics arm, and the expansion of DHL’s Central Asia Hub, which increases its capacity by 50 percent. United Parcel Service has also announced its plan to establish a new hub facility at HKIA.

To enhance connectivity with the Greater Bay Area, the airport has also launched a novel cargo sea-air transshipment operation which enables security screening, palletisation, cargo acceptance and other services to be completed upstream at the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park before the cargo is shipped to HKIA by sea for air transshipment to across the globe.