TIACA Announces HACTL as Winner of the Corporate Category in the 2026 Air Cargo Sustainability Awards

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) announced the results of the Eighth edition of the Air Cargo Sustainability Awards, held in partnership with leading industry IT provider CHAMP Cargosystems. The awards recognize outstanding businesses and initiatives driving sustainability across the global air cargo industry.

Following evaluation by an independent panel of industry leaders and sustainability experts, TIACA is pleased to announce that Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, LTD (HACTL)  has been named the winner of the Corporate Category for its project, “Redefining Cargo Packaging Through Circular Materials.”

HACTL’s initiative addresses one of air cargo’s most persistent single-use plastic waste streams through the development of aviation-grade polyethylene cargo films made from post-consumer recycled materials. The project successfully achieved lab validation of the industry’s first 100% post-consumer recycled cargo film capable of meeting aviation-grade operational and mechanical requirements. 

The project combines material innovation, operational deployment, and closed-loop recycling processes to reduce reliance on virgin plastics while supporting circularity within cargo operations. At full deployment, the initiative has the potential to divert approximately 700 tonnes of plastic waste annually from landfill while significantly reducing lifecycle carbon emissions associated with cargo packaging. 

Manuel Galindo, CEO at 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.”

“The level of innovation and commitment demonstrated by this year’s applicants continues to show how seriously our industry is embracing sustainability,” said Glyn Hughes. “HACTL’s initiative stands out because it tackles 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 – Recyclable and Biodegradable Stretch Films
• CargoAi – Cargo2Zero – Lane-Level Carbon Emissions Tracking for Air Freight
• Goods2Load – Data-Driven Decarbonization: Revolutionizing Offline Logistics via Smart Filtering with GOODS2LOAD

The Start-Up/Small Business finalistswill present their initiatives in Warsaw during TIACA’s Executive Summit, where the audience will ultimately decide who the winner of the $10,000 cash prize will be.

The official presentation of the Air Cargo Sustainability Awards 2026 will be held during TIACA’s Executive Summit in Warsaw, June 1-3.

“To everyone who submitted an entry, thank you for sharing your ideas, innovation, and passion,” said Roos Bakker. “These awards continue to highlight the incredible progress being made across the air cargo industry as organizations of every size work toward a more sustainable future.”

For more information on the TIACA Air Cargo Sustainability Awards, visit www.tiaca.org.