Autumn may be the season of “mist and mellow fruitfulness”, but in Hong Kong the autumn heralds a more frenetic harvest with packed aisles and exhibition halls at the Asia Fruit Logistica showcase, held at the city’s AsiaWorld-Expo. Organisers welcomed more than 14,000 visitors and 760 exhibitors from 43 countries to this year’s event.

Warm welcome

Once again, Cathay Cargo reaffirmed its position as a major player in the global perishables market, showcasing its cool-chain and cold-room expertise through a vibrant, produce-themed booth at the event. The booth also offered dedicated meeting areas where visitors could talk to Cathay Cargo representatives about the Cathay Fresh solution, its expansive international network and how it connects fruit-growing regions with consumer markets worldwide.

A key focus of the display was Cathay Cargo’s growing intermodal capabilities within the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Cathay Fresh now offers streamlined handling by air to Guangzhou, by truck to Shenzhen and – via the new Air-Land Fresh Lane – seamless transfers across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to Zhuhai and onwards to destinations throughout the GBA.

“It was great that Cathay Cargo could bring so many people to the event, and that we had our own booth once again to facilitate conversations with important customers and potential new customers,” says James Evans, General Manager Cargo Commercial. “It was the platform for us to go out, meet and explore new opportunities, as well as position Cathay Cargo’s logistical expertise at the heart of the region’s fruit business.”

Future forward

On the eve of the event, Cathay Cargo organised a trip to the new temperature-controlled Zhuhai refrigerated facility, which enables seamless transfers of perishable goods via Hong Kong under a single air waybill in the Air-Land Fresh Lane. This is where, should Customs inspections be required on top of the scheme’s dedicated transhipment certificate, they can take place quickly and without breaking the cool chain.

Evans was especially encouraged that so many people signed up to see the new facility. “We’ve been looking forward to this development for some time and there’s no doubt it’s going to create a phenomenal lane for Cathay Cargo while again strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a gateway to fantastic consumer markets in the wider GBA.”

Building bridges

As in previous years, Cathay Cargo hosted an evening drinks reception at Catalina’s, the top-floor venue at Cathay City with sweeping views over Hong Kong International Airport and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the setting was a fitting backdrop for presentations on the Cathay Fresh solution, Cathay Cargo’s cool-chain credentials – including IATA’s CEIV Fresh accreditation – and the intermodal links to the wider region.

“These drinks are becoming something of a tradition during Asia Fruit Logistica, and we were glad that many important customers and shippers joined our briefing in Cathay City,” added Evans. “It was also useful to promote our We Know How expertise and service, catch up with existing customers, and meet and understand the needs of producers and what they look for in logistics.”