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Hong Kong’s air cargo volume is being affected by regulations governing the transport of e-cigarettes to the SAR for transshipment. 

The Hong Kong Freight Forwarders and Logistics Association (HAFFA) Said, 《Smoking Regulations 2021》, which came into effect in April, bans the import of smoking products such as e-cigarettes, atomizer, cartridge, vape accessories,tobacco products and herbal vaporizer, e liquid,disposable vapes,cartridge packaging box, etc.This ban also means that these products can’t be transshipped through Hong Kong when shipped overseas by truck, except for air transshipment cargo and transit cargo left on planes and ships. 

A survey of members showed that 330,000 tonnes of air cargo were affected by the ban each year, with re-exports estimated to be worth more than Rmb120bn. HAFFA said the ban “stifles the environment for the freight logistics industry and negatively impacts the livelihoods of its employees”. 

HAFFA chairman Gary Lau said: “Since the Ordinance was passed by the Legislative Council in October last year, the association has continued to receive numerous complaints from our members and other industry stakeholders, reflecting that the ordinance has had a serious adverse impact on the association. 

“We have written to the Chief Executive/Bureau on this matter by four times.  The Ordinance has led to a severe decline in Hong Kong’s overall air exports, costing the industry, airlines, cargo terminals and HKIA hundreds of thousands of tonnes of re-exports each year.” 

“This is bound to shake Hong Kong’s status as a regional transshipment hub and it has dealt a huge blow to people’s livelihood.”

HAFFA agrees with the original intention of the legislation to protect public health, but strongly urges the government to allow continental transshipment. HAFFA held an emergency meeting on September 9 with Deputy Financial Secretary Wong Wailun, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Saihung and Transport Functional Constituency Legislator Yip Chi-ming.  ”The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the government’s ban on land transshipment of e-cigarettes, a move that stifles the environment for the freight logistics industry and negatively impacts the livelihoods of employees,” HAFFA said.