THE airport's No 1 ground handler, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl), increased its September tonnage 14 per cent to 242,043 tonnes year on year, it was announced yesterday.

Throughput for the third quarter was up 19.9 per cent to 743,699 tonnes while cumulative tonnage for the first nine months increased 31.4 per cent to 2,133,470 tonnes.

Exports hit 136,723 tonnes for September, an increase of 16.8 per cent year on year while third quarter exports rose 25.7 per cent to 412,580 tonnes.

Cumulative export tonnage for the first nine months of the year increased 38.3 per cent to 1,165,402 tonnes  year on year. Export volume to China was up 37.7 per cent, to Europe, up 40.2 per cent and to the US, up 39.4 per cent year on year.

Import volume for September increased 4.9 per cent year on year to 60,432 tonnes. Aggregate import  volume for the third quarter was 188,947 tonnes, up  11.8 per cent. Cumulative import tonnage for the first nine months increased 26.3 per cent to 555,108 tonnes.

Import volume from China was up 14 per cent, from Europe, up 28.7 per cent and from the US, it increased 43.4 per cent for the first nine months of the year.

Transshipments in September were up 19 per cent to 44,888 tonnes and increased 15.6 per cent to 142,172 tonnes in the third quarter. Total transshipment volume for the first nine months was 412,960 tonnes, up 20.7 per cent year on year.

"With the earlier restocking of the inventory cycle almost completed and the higher base effect in the second half of 2009, we observed signs of milder growth in the third quarter," said a Hactl statement.

"Nevertheless, demand for airfreight remains strong and we are still optimistic about the overall outlook in 2010."