Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) value added logistics subsidiary, Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services (Hacis) is to extend its SuperLink China Direct service to Vietnam, establishing a new intermodal link between Vietnam, the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong.
The expansion will increase cargo flows through the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and further consolidate Hong Kong’s position as a key international air cargo hub. The service is also expected to offer a more convenient and cheaper combination of road and air transport for Vietnamese companies and overseas shippers.
The Vietnam extension is an extension of Hacis’ proven SuperLink China Direct model, a scheduled, Customs-bonded road feeder service between HKIA and points in Mainland China. The latest development is this cross-border network expanding beyond the Chinese Mainland and into Vietnam for the first time.
A successful trial under the Single E-lock Scheme has already been conducted in Hong Kong. Hacis has collaborated with Vietnamese logistics company U&I Logistics Corporation to manage Hong Kong’s first pilot shipment under an integrated logistics route between Vietnam, the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong.
The imported cargo was first transported by truck in Vietnam to Wuzhou. It then proceeded to Hong Kong through Hacis’ Customs-bonded road feeder services.
The new service is expected to enhance import and export cargo flows through Hong Kong, contributing to further cargo growth at HKIA while creating additional business opportunities for freight forwarders and logistics providers.
The service also gives Vietnamese companies and international shippers more flexibility to send cargo toward international markets via Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. The solution is expected to provide more seamless, secure and efficient cross-border transportation by combining the Single E-lock Scheme with Hacis’ Customs-bonded road feeder network.
The initiative will also further improve trade and cargo connectivity between Vietnam, Hong Kong and the rest of the world and provide an alternative to traditional transportation routes.
Supported by Customs authorities in both Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, the SuperLink China Direct network has established itself as a trusted cross-border logistics solution linking the two jurisdictions,” said Ringo Chan, Executive Director of Hacis.
The Vietnam extension is the first step to take the established intermodal model beyond the Chinese Mainland, and the network could potentially be extended to other parts of Asia in the future, he said.
“Linking Vietnam to the extensive international air cargo network in Hong Kong will offer our customers more routing options and flexibility, create additional cargo volumes through Hong Kong, and generate new opportunities for the logistics industry,” said Chan.
“SuperLink China Direct is an innovative solution that brings efficiency and cost effectiveness,” said Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chief Executive Officer of U&I Logistics Corporation.
The partnership with Hacis allows Vietnamese companies to have a new logistics route, apart from the traditional sea and air transportation, to travel overland through the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong before linking up with international markets, he said.
The solution, he added, is intended to enhance flexibility and reliability in cross-border transportation, while providing businesses with more choices to move their goods. U&I Logistics hopes that the initiative will help strengthen trade links between Vietnam, the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, bringing benefits to the different stakeholders involved.
The successful pilot under the Single E-lock Scheme was the first operational test of the extended service. The shipment was shipped Vietnam–Wuzhou–Hong Kong, with the last leg through Hacis’ Customs-bonded road feeder service.
