Global air cargo tonnage rises 5% in August
- Team CargoTalk ME
- 23 hours ago
- 1 min read
Global air cargo tonnage increased 5% year on year in August, while air cargo capacity from Middle East and South Asia origins rose 2%, according to WorldACD Market Data. Combined China and Hong Kong volumes to Europe fell 14%, while traffic to the US increased 13%.
For the Middle East air cargo market, capacity remained stable in week 35, both week on week and year on year. However, capacity from Gulf origins was still 16% below its week 7 level, before disruptions earlier this year.
Worldwide cargo capacity was 2% higher year on year in August, with Asia Pacific origins recording a 2% increase in the final two weeks of the month.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong-Europe volumes fell 30% year on year, linked to changes in EU import rules for low-value e-commerce shipments. Mainland China-Europe volumes were down 5%, an improvement from an 8% decline in July.
The figures point to changing cargo flows across major trade lanes, which could influence capacity planning and network decisions by airlines and freight forwarders.
Worldwide average cargo rates remained 22% above last year, while average spot rates stood at US$3.36 per kg in August.
It's interesting to see the significant shift in cargo flows, especially with Hong Kong-Europe volumes falling 30% due to EU import rules for low-value e-commerce, while traffic to the US increased 13%. This really highlights how regulatory changes can impact major trade lanes, making capacity planning quite complex for airlines and freight forwarders who can't just play unblocked games 66 all day. The rebound to the US, however, is a positive sign for overall demand.