Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is looking to capture more Vietnamese export traffic through a new road-air corridor that takes cargo from Hanoi through mainland China before connecting with flights from Hong Kong.

But while Hacis, the value-added logistics arm of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl), has completed the first trial movement, a regular scheduled service has yet to be launched, and will depend on customer demand.

The pilot shipment was coffee beans on a customs-bonded truck from Hanoi through the Wuzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone in China’s Guangxi region, before continuing to HKIA.

Hacis told The Loadstar that Wuzhou acted as the transit and transfer point for the cargo, where it was transferred to a truck equipped with a Single E-lock for the remainder of the journey through mainland China into Hong Kong.

The Single E-lock scheme allows customs authorities in mainland China and Hong Kong to monitor cargo using the same electronic lock and reference one another’s inspection results, reducing the risk of duplicate inspections at the Hong Kong boundary.

However, it does not cover the entire journey from Vietnam. Standard customs procedures still apply when the cargo enters China from Vietnam, with the Single E-lock arrangement beginning at Wuzhou.

Hacis said the journey from the Vietnam-China border to HKIA took approximately 30.5 hours, although was not the complete transit time from Hanoi, including the initial road leg, border clearance, and transfer at Wuzhou.

The company said the service was intended to provide an alternative where shippers did not want to rely solely on direct air connections from Vietnam, while giving them access to HKIA’s extensive international flight network.

Following the pilot, Hacis is working with logistics partners and customers to develop regular services, “based on market demand”. Details of schedules, frequency, and expected cargo volumes have not yet been confirmed. Nor did it disclose an indicative price or quantify the claimed savings compared with flying cargo directly from Vietnam.

However, it did add that it was “actively exploring opportunities to further expand the network in line with market demand and operational feasibility”.

The operation is being developed with Vietnamese logistics company U&I Logistics and is intended to carry freight in both directions. This would allow Vietnamese exports to travel by road to HKIA for onward flights, while imports could move through the airport and mainland China into Vietnam.

Target traffic includes electronics, industrial products, garments, and agricultural commodities, as well as high-value and time-sensitive shipments.

Ringo Chan, executive director of Hacis, said the Vietnam trial marked the first expansion of its SuperLink China Direct road-feeder model beyond mainland China.

“By linking Vietnam with Hong Kong’s extensive global air cargo network, the new service provides customers with more routing options and greater flexibility, while generating additional cargo flows through Hong Kong and creating new opportunities for the logistics industry,” he added.

Hacis said it was also exploring the potential to extend the road-air network into other Asian markets, although no further countries or trials have yet been identified.