Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) has opened its new ‘Integrated Hactl Control Centre’ (iHCC) – a single command centre which is manned 24/7/365.

Hactl said the iHCC centralises operations control, systems control and maintenance control, enabling duty managers to monitor the entire ‘SuperTerminal 1’ facility.

The new Centre will provide real time data and workload forecasts, enabling instant adjustments to be made to staffing and resources to cope with unexpected workload peaks.

Hactl’s executive director of operations Paul Cheng said: “iHCC provides totally-comprehensive, accurate and instantaneous information on every aspect of Hactl’s giant operation; this is available to those managers with the required access rights, providing them with a holistic view of operational status of both cargo and flights.

“Not only does this enable us to run our everyday operations at a new level of efficiency, it means we can forecast potential problems before they create issues. That places us in a better position to cope with every kind of potential emergency – including any future pandemic or similar large-scale crisis.”

Before the opening of the iHCC, monitoring and controlling functions were decentralised to the individual operations, engineering and facilities services, and information services departments, which Hactl said created a time lag in data collection and sharing.

The new Centre is equipped with COSAC-Plus, Hactl’s cargo management system, which connects all air cargo stakeholders such as government bodies, airlines and freighter forwarders, as well as its 3D Schematic Display System, which graphically shows the position of all cargo and equipment in the terminal’s cargo handling systems.

iHCC is also equipped with a CCTV monitoring system, covering all 1000+ cameras located throughout the terminal.

“The current capacity crunch in the air cargo industry has led to a surge in ad-hoc charter freighters and ‘preighters’. Airlines demand more agility and sustainability in ground handling to support their businesses, with more short-notice flights, later cargo cut-off times, last-minute manifest changes and shorter turnaround times driven by crew schedule changes,” added Cheng.