International airfreight volume growth is lower than expected so far this year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Since January, freight volumes have risen by an average 2 per cent, lower than the 5.5 per cent IATA forecast for 2011. And in May, airfreight markets showed a 4 per cent decline compared to the prior-year period, the association said in a press release.
Asia-Pacific carriers registered the largest fall in May, with a 9.2 per cent drop in volumes due to disrupted supply chains in Japan and tighter economic policies in China, the IATA said.
European and North American carriers experienced modest falls of 2.2 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively. While African carriers saw volumes drop 7.8 per cent as a result of unrest in Egypt and Tunisia.
But carriers in Latin America and the Middle East saw their volumes rise in May, up 1.5 per cent and 8.1 per cent respectively.
Continued expansion of world trade at around 6 per cent annually could lend support to accelerated freight growth in the second half of 2011, the IATA said.
