Royal Schiphol Group, owner of the Netherlands’ main cargo gateway, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has finalized a deal to purchase a 40% stake in Maastricht Aachen Airport in the south of the country, becoming the second shareholder alongside the province of Limburg.
Officially signed on 8 June, the €4.2 million investment will see Maastricht Aachen Airport join Royal Schiphol Group.
“Maastricht Aachen Airport is the second largest cargo airport in the Netherlands and makes a significant economic contribution to the country,” said Schiphol head of cargo, Joost van Doesburg.
“Both Schiphol and Maastricht recognize the importance of cargo, valuable freighter slots and good connectivity with the rest of the world. This collaboration will add value for our cargo partners at both airports, as we strive towards innovation, efficiency and sustainability.”
The two hubs will share market intelligence and freight data and develop innovations in cargo transport and handling. Maastricht could also be an ideal testing ground for key priorities such as sustainable aviation.
“Partnering with Schiphol will boost market confidence, and the benefits will be passed on to our cargo customers through our improved speed, and capacity,” said Maastrict Airport chief executive, Jos Roeven. “Freight is vital to our national economy, so this is a key moment not only for the Dutch cargo community, but also the Netherlands at large.”
The two airports will also share resources in strategy, real-estate, commerce, and maintenance.
Maastricht recently announced its plan to increase its freighter capacity by extending the operational length of its upgraded runway to 2,750 meters by 2025.
(Pictured: Royal Schiphol Group chief financial officer Robert Carsouw (left) with Limburg economy delegate, Stephan Satijn.)