For Agents
Pre-requisite
Certified as a Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department’s Regulated Agent (RA).
step 1
Preparation
RA to engage a common warehouse contractor or set up self-handling operations at HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park.
step 2
Registration
RA submits the filled-in Supplementary Pages to the Regulated Agent Security Programme (RASP) for Airport Authority Hong Kong’s preliminary review. Contact us for more details.
step 3
Approval
RA obtains the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department’s acceptance on its application for the RASP.
step 4
Operation
RA commences its own operation in HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park or operates through a contractor.
step 5
Frequently Asked Questions
01
What is the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park pilot scheme about?
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HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park is an initiative undertaken by Airport Authority Hong Kong. It is designed to function as an extension of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), serving as an off-site air cargo processing centre for shipments moving via HKIA.
- A related pilot scheme is in place to facilitate the establishment of HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park’s full operation in phases. The scheme’s upstream facility is located in the Bestar Logistics Centre at Dongguan Humen Free Trade Zone, while permanent HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park facilities in Dongguan and the new airside intermodal cargo pier at HKIA are planned for completion in 2025.
02
What is the intermodal transportation arrangement?
- The intermodal transportation arrangement covers land transportation between the Dongguan warehouses and Dongguan Pier, loading and unloading at both Dongguan Pier and Hong Kong West Quay, and sea transportation between the two ports.
- Regular sailing commenced in March 2022. The schedule now includes 12 sailings per week and Airport Authority Hong Kong will keep reviewing the sailing schedule. Charter vessel arrangements with advance notice are also welcomed. Vessel space is currently allocated on a first come, first served basis.
03
How can interested agents participate in the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative?
- Freight forwarders operating at HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park must be Regulated Agents registered under Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department’s Air Cargo Security Programme. Regulated Agents can either operate their own warehouse or engage a common warehouse contractor to handle shipments at HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park on their behalf. The Regulated Agent should complete the Regulated Agent Security Programme Supplement Page and submit it to Civil Aviation Department for approval, in order to extend their Regulated Agent status to cover upstream operations in Dongguan. Interested agents may contact Airport Authority Hong Kong for more details.
04
What are the benefits of this sea-air intermodal transshipment project?
- The HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative is a strategic move that allows the Hong Kong air cargo industry to establish a stronger foothold in the Greater Bay Area as a whole. By extending the reach of HKIA further into the Greater Bay Area and leveraging the advantage in operational costs in Dongguan, the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative can offer a cost-effective and highly efficient end-to-end solution to the logistics industry, while also enabling HKIA to tap into new sources of cargo for transshipment via the airport.
05
Is the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative regulated by Hong Kong’s or China’s aviation security regime?
- The HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative adopts Hong Kong’s aviation security regime and strictly follows Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department’s requirements.
- HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park is connected to HKIA by sea transport. Since the cargo processed within HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park leaves Mainland China as a sea freight, the Civil Aviation Administration of China is not involved in the oversight, administration or operation of HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park.
06
What is the role of Airport Authority Hong Kong?
- Airport Authority Hong Kong is responsible for the management and operation of HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park. As the overall-in-charge of HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park, Airport Authority Hong Kong manages the implementation and coordination of aviation security regime for the park to ensure its aviation security standard meets the requirements stipulated in the Hong Kong Aviation Security Programme.
In addition, Airport Authority Hong Kong will carry out audits, incident investigations, corrective measures, improvement measures, etc. and pass cases to Civil Aviation Department for follow-up if necessary. In the event of non-compliance, Civil Aviation Department should decide whether remedies are required and Airport Authority Hong Kong will facilitate the implementation of relevant measures.
07
Can Airport Authority Hong Kong provide more details about Dongguan’s screening facilities?
- Airport Authority Hong Kong is the licence holder of the Regulated Air Cargo Screening Facility (RACSF) in Dongguan. It has been accepted by Civil Aviation Department with the RACSF Code RF0157.
(The register of RACSFs accepted by Civil Aviation Department is available on their website: www.cad.gov.hk/english/icao2021_regracsf.html).
The RACSF uses X-ray machines and explosive trace detectors approved by Civil Aviation Department and qualified by Air Cargo Screening Technology List (ACSTL) of Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The screening activities are handled by Aviation Security Company Limited.
08
What are the measures that safeguard sea transportation between HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park and HKIA?
- Screened (SPX) cargo shall be transported between HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park and HKIA by means of secure transportation accepted by Civil Aviation Department. The integrity of the SPX cargo upon sea transportation provided by the intermodal operator shall be verified and checked at each handover point. Intermodal Operators are franchisees of Airport Authority Hong Kong that have entered into agreement with cargo terminal operators.
- Sea transportation is under secured conveyance that involves secured transportation means, CCTV recording during vessel conveyance, and real-time GPS tracking and alerts. It is also monitored by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department under the Sea-air Transshipment Facilitation Scheme (STFS) System provided by Airport Authority Hong Kong. The vessels are operated by a registered crew with a dedicated safety warden.
- The cargo pier is a secured area that is protected by high-security fences, security lighting and CCTV surveillance. Access points are safeguarded by an intrusion detection system, drop-arm barriers and metal swing gates, and are manned by security staff during cargo operations.
09
Can e-cigarettes be shipped under this sea-air intermodal transshipment mode?
- The Import and Export (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 was gazetted on 30 June 2023, providing an exemption for alternative smoking products, which can be imported as specified intermodal transshipment cargo by a registered operator under the Import and Export Ordinance, Chapter 60.
The Intermodal Operator is already registered with Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department under the Alternative Smoking Product Transshipment Control Scheme (ATCS) to carry Alternative Smoking Products as transshipment.
Alternative smoking product classified as general cargo is acceptable for sea-air intermodal transshipment via HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park with a through bill of lading.
10
Are dangerous goods and lithium batteries acceptable under the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative?
- At present, only general cargo can be accepted for the pilot scheme of the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative.
Shipments of non-restricted lithium batteries are acceptable, including those that contain: lithium metal cells with a lithium metal content not exceeding 1 gram; lithium-ion cells with a watt-hour rating not exceeding 20 Wh; lithium metal batteries with an aggregate lithium content not exceeding 2 grams; or lithium-ion batteries with a watt-hour rating not exceeding 100 Wh. Respective handling procedures shall follow the practices for Hong Kong air cargo.
11
Are licence-controlled commodities acceptable under the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park initiative?
- At present, HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park pilot scheme does not accept licence-controlled commodities. Airport Authority Hong Kong will explore the feasibility of this with relevant parties at a later stage.
12
Has there been any negotiation with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to avoid re-screening in Hong Kong?
- TSA approval is granted to airlines individually. Several airlines are currently applying for approval.
13
Is inter-agent handling allowed under the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park?
- Provided that appropriate selections are made in Section 10.1 of the Supplementary Pages to Regulated Agent Security Programme when applying for operations in HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park, the following guidelines summarise the restrictions for inter-agent activities in HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park.
- Co-loading activities that involve cargo tendering and receiving via HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park shall only be carried out among RAs accepted by Civil Aviation Department for operation in HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park.
Co-loading
(consolidation of cargo)Agent Type Yes/No HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents receiving cargo from
(Coload-in)HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents
Yes
Non-HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents
No
HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents tendering cargo to
(Coload-out)HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents
Yes
Non-HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents
No
- If a master air waybill (MAWB) is not bound to cargo processed via HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park, assigning and borrowing of the MAWB could be carried out among agents, subject to approval by the aircraft operator. HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents can borrow MAWBs from non-HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agent and handle shipments at HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park. However, when non-HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents borrow MAWBs from HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park Regulated Agents, it does not grant them the right to tender cargo to HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park cargo terminal operators or to HKIA cargo terminal operators via HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park.
- The inter-regulated Agent handling shall comply with requirements stipulated in the respective Regulated Agent Security Programme, the Supplementary Pages and the Handling Procedures for the Regulated Agent Regime. (The Handling Procedures is available on Civil Aviation Department’s website: www.cad.gov.hk/english/newrarform.html)