HACTL wins TIACA sustainability award for circular cargo packaging

The International Air Cargo Association announced the results of the eighth edition of the Air Cargo Sustainability Awards, held in partnership with CHAMP Cargosystems, with Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals winning the Corporate Category for its project, “Redefining Cargo Packaging Through Circular Materials”. The awards recognise businesses and initiatives driving sustainability across the global air cargo industry.

Following an evaluation by an independent panel of industry leaders and sustainability experts, HACTL was selected for a project aimed at reducing one of air cargo’s most persistent sources of single-use plastic waste. The initiative focuses on developing aviation-grade polyethylene cargo films made from post-consumer recycled materials.

The project achieved laboratory validation of what is described as the industry’s first 100% post-consumer recycled cargo film capable of meeting aviation-grade operational and mechanical requirements.

According to TIACA, the initiative combines material innovation, operational deployment and closed-loop recycling processes to reduce dependence on virgin plastics while supporting circularity in cargo operations. At full deployment, the project could divert around 700 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each year while reducing lifecycle carbon emissions linked to cargo packaging.

Manuel Galindo, CEO of CHAMP Cargosystems, said “HACTL’s project demonstrates how innovation and collaboration can create practical sustainability solutions with real industry impact. Their work not only advances circularity in air cargo operations but also establishes a scalable model that can inspire broader adoption across the global logistics sector. Congratulations to the entire HACTL team on this outstanding achievement.”

Glyn Hughes said the level of innovation and commitment shown by applicants this year reflected the industry’s growing focus on sustainability. He added that HACTL’s initiative stood out for addressing a long-standing operational challenge with a solution that is practical, measurable and scalable for the wider air cargo community.

TIACA also announced the three finalists in the Start-Up/Small Business Category for the 2026 awards: BioNatur Plastics for recyclable and biodegradable stretch films, CargoAi for Cargo2Zero, a lane-level carbon emissions tracking tool for air freight, and Goods2Load for its data-driven decarbonisation initiative focused on offline logistics through smart filtering.

The finalists will present their initiatives in Warsaw during TIACA’s Executive Summit, where the audience will decide the winner of the $10,000 cash prize. The official presentation of the Air Cargo Sustainability Awards 2026 will take place during TIACA’s Executive Summit in Warsaw from June 1st to 3rd.

Roos Bakker thanked participants for submitting entries and said the awards continue to highlight progress across the air cargo industry as organisations of different sizes work towards a more sustainable future.