en.Wedoany.com Reported - The owners of Ancona International Airport in Italy are assessing the development of new third-party maintenance capabilities within the airport premises, aiming to capitalize on tight MRO capacity in Europe and the growing regional demand for widebody aircraft maintenance stands. Stewart Higginson, operating partner at investment firm Njord Partners and chairman of Ancona International Airport, stated that over the past year, the airport has received interest from Part 145 maintenance providers and parts companies. Located on the Adriatic coast in Italy's Marche region, the airport has been under the control of London-based Njord since 2019, handling both passenger and cargo traffic.

Higginson revealed that the airport, in which Njord holds a 91.5% stake, is reviewing plans ranging from near-term utilization of existing hangar space and temporary facilities to long-term potential major base maintenance developments capable of accommodating widebody aircraft. "Some of what is happening in Ancona reflects the state of the global MRO industry," Higginson said. "Given the supply shortage of these services and infrastructure in Europe and globally, seizing this opportunity is a natural step." Ancona Airport, which operated as a military airfield during World War II, has a runway approximately 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) long, enabling it to handle both narrowbody and widebody aircraft, according to Higginson. The airport is also an established cargo hub, with operations from major carriers such as DHL and UPS.

The MRO opportunity remains in the "evaluation and feasibility phase." In the short term, Ancona could utilize existing hangar space for certain maintenance or parts repair activities, while its taxiways and apron areas could support temporary infrastructure. Larger-scale base maintenance services would require new construction. "If you want to perform base maintenance on multiple aircraft, you need to actually build more significant, newer facilities," Higginson said. He expects any potential MRO capacity increase to be realized through third-party suppliers developing operations at the airport, with interest coming from both within Italy and abroad. "We would essentially let third parties grow their businesses on our premises," he said. If plans materialize, he believes funding for larger projects could come from three sources: existing airport owners (including Njord and the Marche regional government, which holds a minority 8.5% stake), potential MRO partners, and potential EU funding.

This push comes as airlines and lessors continue to face limited maintenance availability, particularly in Europe. Higginson noted that slot constraints are also evident at EuroAtlantic Airways, a Portuguese widebody ACMI and charter operator under Njord Partners, where he serves as chairman and previously as CEO. "Especially in winter, especially in Europe, you constantly find the need to advance and adjust maintenance event schedules," he said. "If we're just talking about regular scheduled C-checks, slot availability is an issue. You also have to respond to airworthiness directives." He added that engine shop visit capacity is also constrained, with operators often needing to seek capacity outside Europe. "Having more engine shop-related work facilities is also very important," Higginson said. "Europe is particularly underinvested in this area."

The investment firm became the majority partner in Lisbon-based EuroAtlantic in 2024. The ACMI carrier currently operates six aircraft, including three Boeing 767-300ERs, two 777-200ERs, and its recently added first Airbus aircraft—an A330-200—with plans to add two more in the near future. Long-term, EuroAtlantic aims to expand its fleet to between 8 and 12 aircraft by 2030 through the addition of more A330 and 777 aircraft. This strategy is driven by aircraft availability and the demand for a flexible widebody ACMI fleet. "In the long term, there isn't enough capacity in the market to stick with a pure Boeing strategy," Higginson said.