Maastricht Aachen Airport secures PNAO designation for fruit, vegetables, and flowers

Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) has been designated as an approved inspection location for products of non-animal origin (PNAO), a move set to reshape logistics for the European fresh produce market

The certification, granted by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), allows the airport to conduct official controls immediately upon a shipment's arrival.

According to the press release, this eliminates the previous requirement for goods to be transited to secondary locations for clearance, effectively streamlining the supply chain for international traders.

As the second-largest cargo airport in the Netherlands, MST is positioning itself as a premier specialist hub. The ability to perform on-site PNAO inspections means the airport can now handle a broader catalog of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other plant-based products from a wider array of global origins.

Dean Boljuncic, Head of Commercial Development at MST said,“Maastricht Aachen Airport is well known for its short transit times and efficient handling processes—critical factors in maintaining the quality and shelf life of fresh, temperature-sensitive goods”.

“Enabling on-site PNAO controls reduces waiting times even further and ensures an optimally safeguarded cold chain for our customers,” he further added.

This designation follows the 2025 reaffirmation of MST’s status as a Phytosanitary Inspection Centre. By adding PNAO controls to its existing suite of regulatory approvals, the airport has solidified its infrastructure to support the complex requirements of the global fresh produce trade.

The move is expected to reduce lead times by bypassing the delays associated with bonded transit to inland inspection points through the use of on-site inspections.

Furthermore, by minimising touchpoints and transit time, the process will enhance product integrity, better preserving the shelf life of perishables. Crucially, this approval will also expand market reach, allowing MST to accept a more diverse range of products and countries of origin than ever before.