Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) announced a new partnership with ECS Livestock at Air Cargo Europe 2025, Munich, that will see it become the preferred airport for horse transport in the Netherlands.

The agreement, which begins with immediate effect, will see ECS Livestock carry out transport operations at MST’s AnimalPort Netherlands, an airside facility fully equipped to handle the safe and animal-friendly transportation of horses.

“Handling horses is an international mark of quality for our airport. If you can handle live animals safely and efficiently, it proves the high standards of your cargo operations,” said Dean Boljuncic, head of commercial development, MST.

“Alongside pharma and chilled goods, live animals are delicate cargo that require careful handling. Thanks to the extensive experience and expertise of our cargo team, this is something we can deliver at MST.”

MST’s AnimalPort Netherlands can accommodate between 26 and 32 horses and features a flexible floor system that ensures sufficient grip for the animals.

In 2024, the facility was modernized and equipped with amenities such as a dressing room, hygiene lock, and washing stations.

“A cargo aircraft rarely transports only horses. Airlines often combine horse shipments with other freight and this will create new routes from MST, which will benefit the local cargo community.

“The more routes we have, the more opportunities to ship our clients’ cargo worldwide via MST and several airlines have already expressed interest in using MST for horse transport.”

ECS Livestock has over 23 years of experience in the air transport of horses and both parties expect this partnership to significantly increase the volume of horse shipments via Maastricht Aachen Airport, while also boosting overall cargo traffic at the Netherlands’ second-largest cargo airport.

“AnimalPort Netherlands at MST is a modern and animal-friendly facility with ample capacity for handling live animals, particularly horses,” said Edwin Hofstede, director of ECS Livestock.

“Together with the airport, we are exploring the possibility of further expanding the capacity by reconfiguring the layout, to improve flexibility and optimise the use of the AnimalPort in the future.”