World airfreight traffic is expected to rebound in the next few years after staying mostly static in 2013, according to the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
ICAO forecasts global scheduled airfreight traffic, expressed in freight tonne-kilometers (FTK) performed, to grow by 3.7 percent in 2014, a rebound from the 0.4 percent growth rate recorded in 2013.
The organization noted that IHS/Global Insight, a major economic forecasting organization, has predicted that world trade in real terms, measured by exports and imports volumes, will grow by 4.2 percent in 2014, up from 2.2 percent in 2013.
For the next two years, ICAO estimates airfreight traffic to expand by 4.2 percent in 2015, and 4.4 percent in 2016.
It said current expectations of annual world trade growth rates of 5.3 and 5.1 percent over 2015 and 2016 “should support” such forecasts in world freight traffic growth levels.
By regional outlook, Asia-Pacific, which accounted for almost 40 percent of world freight traffic in 2013, is expected to grow by 3 percent in 2014. “With the improvement of the European and U.S. economies, rising demand for Asia and Pacific manufactured goods should support export volume increases and air freight growth,” said ICAO.
Europe is expected to grow by 2.7 percent in freight traffic in 2014, supported by economic recovery and improvement in trade of the region, while freight traffic in North America is expected to grow by 1.4 percent.
The Middle East is expected to remain the fastest growing region in 2014, with an estimated growth rate of 12.1 percent. Growing world trade activities and the strong performance of Middle East carriers in international markets should provide a solid base for the region’s freight traffic growth.
A growth trend in trade volumes of Africa should also continue, with the region’s freight traffic estimated to grow by 3.1 percent this year.
With a base of solid trade growth, Latin America and Caribbean freight traffic should continue growing at a rate of 3 percent in 2014.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) registered growth in cargo throughput in the first half of the year, rising 6.3 percent year-on-year to 2.1 million tonnes.
The monthly figures for June also reported good year-on-year growth. Cargo volume showed a 7.3 percent growth to 361,000 tonnes compared to the same month last year.
The growth in cargo throughput last month was driven mainly by transshipments and exports, which were up 17 percent and 6 percent, respectively, from a year ago.
During the month, cargo throughput to and from China and North America recorded the most significant growth compared to other key regions.
On a rolling 12-month basis, HKIA handled 4.3 million tonnes of cargo, representing a year-on-year growth of 4.6 percent.
Photo: emrank
