News / Sustainability, digitalisation and a record-breaking IATA event

© Sergeychernov

The air cargo industry has come a long way – even if it has moved at a “glacial pace”.

IATA’s WCS in Hong Kong this week revealed an industry finally beginning to grapple with sustainability; some progress in digitalisation; and a focus on attracting new talent.

“Sustainability is not an option any more, it’s a must,” said Brendan Sullivan, head of IATA Cargo. “Sustainability is imperative.”

IATA also launched its Digitalisation Leadership Charter, with five guiding principles to help accelerate the modernisation of the industry, including a collaborative digital strategy, robust infrastructure and digital sustainability.

WCS 24 was the association’s largest ever event – including its passenger conferences – with 1,948 delegates. Its popularity was thought to be at least in part due to its location in Hong Kong (it will be interesting to see if Dubai next year is as strong an attraction).

And Hong Kong did not disappoint. Its local companies shone: Hactl’s exemplary sustainable and ethical principles and modern technology, and Cathay Cargo’s organisational and hosting prowess were two which stood out.

Hong Kong has had a torrid time. It’s hard to imagine the horrors of long, enforced quarantines and lives barely lived in the city’s towering skyscrapers. But it is keen to show off its re-birth and is enthusiastically embracing the world again. Western concerns over the new security law, and increasingly long arm of Beijing, were brushed aside.

“The idea that we are constantly being watched, or that there is any change in personal freedom, is simply not the case – it’s been much hyped by western media,” said one British Hong Konger.

One effect of its increasing China-isation, perhaps, is that the cities in the Greater Bay area appear now to be more complementary than competitive, and links between them are getting stronger – although Hong Kong companies admitted they still had to fight to ensure they keep their position as top dogs.

The airport itself is undergoing significant transformation – crowds of cranes hunch around the terminals as more and more building takes place for retail, cargo and the three-runway system. The airport-scape is dominated by the huge Cainiao Smart Gateway.

And technology has been enthusiastically embraced, from robots in restaurants to Hactl’s new “intelligent” cargo thermal detection system, the first of its kind in the world.

Hong Kong is back, and WCS was the perfect showcase, at the perfect time.