Eight airlines participated in the international forklift competition held in Hong Kong this month.

Air China Cargo was the overall winner of the fifth International Forklift and Pallet Building Competition held at Hong Kong International Airport this month.

The airline beat seven other international airlines in the competition that showcased best practice in forklift driving and pallet building. The other participants were British Airways World Cargo, Cargolux Airlines, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, KLM Cargo, Nippon Airlines and Hong Kong Air Cargo.

Teams were judged by a panel consisting of representatives from industry associations like the Cargo Liaison Group, Hong Kong Air Freight Forwarding Agents Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Council.

Air China Cargo became the overall champion by clinching three titles - overall winner, winner of the pallet building category and second-runner up for the forklift category.

The first and second runners-up in the competition were Hong Kong Air Cargo and Nippon Cargo Airlines. Hong Kong Air Cargo was the champion in the forklift category, while Japan Airlines won the manual lifting and handling outstanding award. The forklift driving safety award went to British Airways World Cargo.

Mark Whitehead, managing director of event organiser Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd, says the event was important in promoting occupational safety to the air cargo community. "We are pleased to organise the event for the fifth time ... This year we received overwhelming responses and we will evaluate the possibility of including more industry players joining this international event."

The event was sponsored by Crown Motors Ltd, Siemens Ltd, Asia Pacific Industrial Safety Equipment, Airport Authority Hong Kong and Regal Machinery Ltd.