The company was established in 1972 to handle cargo delivery worldwide via Malaysia Airlines' global network of routes. At that point, MASkargo handled 30,000 tonnes of cargo.[5] It became a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines in April 1997, with two Boeing 747-200F freighters from the parent company. It has 1,092 employees (as of March 2007).[3] As of 2008, the new cargo facility is located in the Advanced Cargo Centre (ACC) KLIA. MASkargo has a million-tonne cargo capacity.[5]
In 2010, MASkargo, a cargo division of Malaysia Airlines, updated its branding to a more simplified design, diverging from the more colorful scheme of its parent company. The new livery adopted a minimalist approach, featuring a predominantly white color scheme with the company's logo and titles on the tail. This design approach, while officially adopted in 2010, had been intermittently used since the 1990s, particularly on aircraft that were leased from other carriers.
On 30 April 2015, Malaysia Airlines announced it would either lease out or sell MASkargo's entire fleet due to its ongoing financial crisis.[6] On 1 November 2015, Malaysia Airlines CEO told reporters that MASkargo would not be shut down.[citation needed]
In March 2016, the renamed MAB Kargo signed an agreement with Silk Way Airlines of Azerbaijan, which sees it use block space on Silk Way flights from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam via Baku, thus ending its freighter aircraft service to Europe via the Middle East countries where it had served Dubai Al Maktoum Airport.[7]
In October 2016, both Boeing 747-400 planes were phased out, and a third Airbus A330-200F, which was stored for 6 months, was added to the fleet.
Destinations
MASkargo Boeing 747-400F, registration 9M-MPS, in previous livery
MASkargo provides freighter services to the following (as of November 2019):[8]
With MASkargo's recent “an airport within a seaport” plan, the company has extended its services to Port Klang, a major seaport in Peninsular Malaysia. A designated air zone has been established in Port Klang to facilitate this. In collaboration with MASkargo and Port Klang Terminal Operators, the I-port aims to promote Port Klang/KLIA as the load centre for sea and air traffic in the region.[13]
The I-port transfers cargo from the seaport in Port Klang to MASkargo's Advanced Cargo Centre. Any additional documentation from the seaports is sealed by the Customs Department and loaded onto MASkargo's scheduled trucks for outbound destinations through KLIA. Cargo space and flights for the intended airport of destinations are pre-booked by forwarding agents at the MASkargo Air-Zone online handling office, known as "XPQ", situated within the port's Northport Container Yard Terminal. I-PORT is listed in the Malaysian Guinness Book of Records as the first service "of its kind" in Malaysia.[13]
i-secure
i-secure is an airport-to-airport logistics facility from MASkargo. Cargo under this service will be stored in a surveillance area before being transported. Types of cargo supported by i-secure include semiconductor products, consumer electronics, cameras, CD-ROMs, computers, watches, and pharmaceutical items. i-secure is currently available at Malaysia Airlines stations worldwide.[14]
Animal Hotel (AVI)
Opened in 1998, the same year KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) began operations, the MASkargo Animal Hotel started as a centre catering to inbound animal shipments for staging and delivery. On 15 June 2004, the Animal Hotel became a one-stop centre. The activities included import, export and transhipment delivery and payment.
The MASkargo Animal Hotel has around 1,297 m2 (14,000 sq ft) of space. The facility is open 24 hours a day. An on-call veterinarian is available. The MASkargo Animal Hotel emphasizes comfort, safety and hygiene.[15]
Priority Business Centre
MASkargo's Priority Business Centre is serving by-invitation-only customers. PBC is open 24 hours a day. The facility is located on the Core 2 Ground Floor of MASkargo's Advanced Cargo Centre in KLIA and is staffed by a team of supervisors and officers.[16]
Perishable Centre
The perishable Centre was set up by MASkargo to ensure that perishable cargo remains preserved; the one-stop centre accepts and delivers the perishable cargo under one roof. MASkargo provides an “unbroken cool chain" for cooling conditions. Cargo is moved to cold rooms, where up to 16 units of ULD may be stored.[17]
