Cathay Cargo asserts global positioning with Vietnam presence

With a vision to become the world’s best air cargo carrier, Cathay Cargo is investing in specialised expertise to meet the evolving needs of its Vietnam customers with sound local business knowledge. This is setting itself and the Hong Kong international aviation hub apart from the competition, while delivering the best of Vietnam to the world, and the world to Vietnam.

The first passenger flight between Vietnam and Hong Kong in 1949 carried a significant amount of cargo, including diplomatic mail, seafood, and vegetables. As testament to the importance of the Vietnam market to the airline’s global cargo network, in March 2008, Cathay Cargo launched a comprehensive cargo service from Ho Chi Minh City, followed by Hanoi.

Serving Vietnam’s key ports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the weekly shared freighter flight, CX3347/CX3346, operates every Wednesday from Hong Kong to Hanoi, continues on to Ho Chi Minh City, and then returns to Hong Kong.

This flight supplements Cathay Cargo’s existing eight weekly freighter services between Hanoi and Hong Kong. The Hong Kong-based airline currently operates one freighter flights weekly between Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong on Cathay Cargo, and multiple flights on express all-cargo carrier Air Hong Kong, which is also part of Cathay Group. These are in addition to the passenger flights operated by Cathay Pacific and HK Express.

In 2024, Cathay Cargo transported an average of over 2,600 tonnes of cargo per month from Vietnam. Over 800 tonnes of this was carried on the 14 pax flights weekly between Ho Chi Minh city and Hong Kong. The cargo mix includes garments, footwear, fresh fruit, and live and frozen seafood bound for key markets such as Northeast Asia, Mainland China, Australia, and North America.

To cater to the increasingly diverse and complex cargo demands from the Vietnam market, Cathay Cargo, with their extensive portfolio of specialised solutions, provides ways to transport particularly dangerous goods, oversized cargo, and shipments requiring special handling. The solutions include Cathay Fresh, Cathay Expert, Cathay Pharma, Cathay Courier, Cathay Priority, Cathay Dangerous Goods, Cathay Secure, Cathay Live Animal, and Cathay Mail.

A standout capability of Cathay Cargo in Vietnam lies in its team of professionally trained staff and a strong local partner network, all operating under international standards. This enables the airline to efficiently handle challenging consignments, including dangerous goods such as lithium batteries and industrial chemicals; specialised medical equipment, oversized and heavy cargo such as industrial machinery and large mechanical parts; and main-deck shipments for fragile or specially dimensioned goods unsuitable for bellyhold transport.

To streamline operations for such complex shipments, Cathay Cargo offers specialised handling solutions to ensure the safe and compliant transport of sensitive goods such as certain hazardous materials, oversized shipments, or temperature-controlled items. These are supported by tailored end-to-end solutions that optimise every stage of the journey, from acceptance and packaging to labelling, transportation, and final delivery.

Cathay Cargo is also leading the way with key digital initiatives, including Click & Ship, Ultra Track, and its Cargo Agents Portal.

Click & Ship is an online booking platform that allows customers to check rates, view capacity, book shipments, and track orders in real time. Ultra Track is a sensor-based shipment tracking system that provides precise data on location, temperature, and humidity, ensuring optimal delivery conditions, particularly for vulnerable cargo such as pharmaceuticals, food, and electronics. The Cargo Agents Portal, meanwhile, is an integrated platform for freight agents that streamlines communication and data exchange processes.

In parallel, Cathay Cargo is also ramping up its use of AI and big data analytics to forecast demand, optimise flight schedules, and enhance order accuracy. Through its comprehensive digital strategy, Cathay Cargo is redefining the way global cargo is handled while reinforcing its leadership position in Vietnam and across the region.

Ashish Kapur, regional head of cargo for Southeast Asia at Cathay Cargo, said that Cathay Cargo’s track-and-trace service provides near-real-time updates on the airport-to-airport journey using Bluetooth data loggers, allowing it to monitor shipments and offer 24/7 proactive support.

“Thanks to our vendor Unilode, nearly 90 per cent of our unit load devices fleet is equipped with Bluetooth tags. We’ve also adopted the Cargo IQ Master Operating Plan, an IATA-recommended industry practice, with milestones that allow us to track the full air cargo journey from shipper to consignee. As the pilot airline for IATA’s One Record rollout, Cathay is leading digital transformation in cargo operations. One Record facilitates seamless data exchange across the supply chain, ensuring a single unified data source,” added Kapur.

Meanwhile, Cathay’s dangerous goods digitalisation project enhances safety, efficiency, and traceability by centralising data and documents. “We’re extending these advancements to our suppliers and ground handling partners for ecosystem-wide consistency. We also take our environmental responsibilities seriously and are committed to building a future of more sustainable operations,” he added.

As competition intensifies in the air logistics sector, Cathay Cargo is accelerating its digital transformation with major investments in technology and digital solutions to boost operational efficiency and enhance customer experience.

With a strong fleet of 20 Boeing 747 freighters and the upcoming introduction of Airbus A350F freighters in 2027, Cathay Cargo stands among the giants of global air freight. Its extensive freighter and passenger fleet and network serve 200 destinations worldwide.

This solid foundation allows Cathay Cargo to maintain its leadership at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), named the world's busiest cargo airport according to Airports Council International for the 14th time since 2010, while positioning itself to seize emerging opportunities amid the ever-evolving global trade and supply chain landscape.

The $751 million Cathay Cargo Terminal at HKIA

The Cathay Cargo Terminal at HKIA commenced operations in February 2013. The $751 million facility is one of the biggest and most sophisticated terminals in the world, providing additional air cargo handling capacity and facilities that help to further reinforce Hong Kong’s position as the world’s premier international airfreight hub. This terminal has also been designed for an annual air cargo throughput capacity of 2.6 million tonnes and a common-use facility open to all airline customers.

The Cathay Cargo Terminal sets new standards in operational efficiency, environmental design, and service levels.

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Cathay Cargo resumes Ho Chi Minh City service Cathay Cargo welcomed its first freighter flight to Ho Chi Minh City on April 4 after four years, following its suspension in December 2019 due to the pandemic. The weekly flight operates from Ho Chi Minh City every Thursday, with the freighter flying from Hong Kong to Hanoi, then to Ho Chi Minh City before returning home.

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