Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AAS) is restructuring its Cargo Division, bringing it into its new Aviation Business Development Division under the umbrella of business unit Airport Operations and Aviation Partnerships, starting March.

In a statement, AAS said Miriam Hoekstra – van der Deen will step down as director Airport Operations and will be succeeded by Patricia Vitalis, current senior manager Process, Development & Capacity Management.

"The move will put all airline and cargo commercial and operational business into a single division under the leadership of Anne Marie van Hemert, Sr. Manager Aviation Business Development, reporting into Patricia Vitalis as new head of the Airport Operations and Aviation Partnerships Business Unit," the airport said in a statement.

It added that Airport cargo information platform Cargonaut, recently acquired by Royal Schiphol Group, will also be part of the new Aviation Business Development Division.

“Cargo is, and remains, important to Schiphol and it supports the passenger network, making certain intercontinental routes profitable for many passenger airlines,” said Miriam Hoekstra – van der Deen.

The new division will continue to support ongoing cargo initiatives by the community including Vaccines Gateway Netherlands, Pharma Gateway Amsterdam, the Holland Flower Alliance, and the Smart Cargo Mainport Program (SCMP), and will continue to fight for a dedicated cargo slot pool.

Digitisation of all export goods

“The SCMP remains an important pillar of our cargo strategy, we aim to be the smartest and most sustainable cargo hub in Europe,” Vitalis said.

“On the first of January we reached an important milestone, with all export goods delivered to Schiphol now completely digital.

Meamwhile, Schiphol Airport will continue with the renewal of Cargonaut’s Port Community System (PCS) — a modernisation which will take place over the next 24 months, with all current services and processes remaining as they are until the new IT system is fully operational.

The project, it said, will "future-proof" the whole of Schiphol’s cargo community by enhancing innovation and information exchange in the Dutch logistics sector.