Asia Airfreight Terminal (AAT) has been awarded IATA’s Center of Excellence for Perishable Logistics (CEIV Fresh) certification in September 2021.

In a statement, the Hong Kong-based terminal said the accreditation recognizes its "strong expertise, stringent training and excellent facilities in handling perishable cargo in accordance with global standards."

Increasing demand for perishables

"There is increasing demand for the safe transportation of high-end perishables and pharmaceuticals by air," it said. "AAT is in the process of further enhancing our handling capabilities to capture these opportunities as part of Airport Authority Hong Kong’s initiative to develop HKIA into the world’s Perishables Hub."

"We are investing in new cold chain facilities that will tie in well with our certifications such as CEIV Fresh, CEIV Pharma and WHO GDP. These new facilities are specifically designed to ensure unbroken temperature control for cargo, from export acceptance to ramp release, and from the receipt of imports at the ramp to cargo delivery," AAT further said adding that these new facility upgrades will be ready to serve the industry by 2022.