We find ourselves at the end of what has been a challenging year, with changes in global trade and supply chains very much in the spotlight. Yet, beyond the uncertainty, there was also a robust performance – IATA’s data for October shows it to be the eighth consecutive month of growth in air cargo demand. It also notes that there has been some industry-wide rebalancing of trade lanes as supply chains adapted.

Throughout the year, we kept in close dialogue with our customers, so that we’ve been able to adapt and navigate our way through these fluid times together. Even as the holidays draw near, this continues as we plot our way forward to the New Year and beyond.

Read more: Cathay Cargo: 2025 in review

First success for the GBA Air-Land Fresh Lane  

Among the benefits we offer customers, two came to the fore recently. These are the interline connections with our airline partners that extend our network, and the intermodal access we offer between Hong Kong and the rest of the Greater Bay Area. Both these elements came into play for the official activation of the Air-Land Fresh Lane to Zhuhai after some successful trials. We shipped three 50-tonne consignments of Chilean cherries to Guangzhou’s Jiangnan Market via Zhuhai within a few hours of them touching down at Hong Kong International Airport. These shipments demonstrated the new process using through air waybills to Zhuhai – which saves vital hours for perishables – as well as the GBA’s potential as a major import market for fresh produce. We are excited by the potential of the Air-Land Fresh Lane and we look forward to growing the inbound market to Zhuhai and the wider Greater Bay Area. .

Read more: How Cathay Cargo brought Chilean cherries into the GBA in one easy step

Looking towards a hopeful new year

It remains only for me to wish everyone happy holidays and the very best for the New Year. No matter what 2026 brings, we will continue to work together to chart the route to success.