MAFFA Introduction

MAFFA has been stablished since June 1996 as then was named the Macau Air Freight Forwarding (Logistics) Association. The Association which is self-reliance, a non-profit association has been acknowledged by the public when the operation of Macau International Airport came into operation in December 1995. Even since the development, Macau being part of China which we enjoy a self-antimony with the passengers and as well as airfreight movements. Since 1997, with the collaboration of our members, the growth of cargo handled in the Macau International Airport had been steadily increased and reckoned to be one of the world fastest growing airports. Tonnage had been encouraging during those days where Macau Airport also broke the record on handling 220,000 metric tons in 2004 during the pandemic of SARS where most of the cargoes were diverted from Hong Kong Airport. However, with Mainland China Opening-up, cargo movement have been moving directly into mainland China by-passing Macau. Hence, cargo volume decline year on year, which most airfreight forwarders are facing a uphill task to keep up with the trend of evolving demographic movement , such affecting cargo movement in general.

Mission

Under the leadership of MAFFA’s Chairman Angus Lee who will continue to insist association’s mission:

1) To enhance the relationship in the industry among fellow forwarder, uplift the level of professionalism and safeguard the interest of our fellow members.

2) To connect with worldwide freight association, exchange of industry practice experience, promoting with development of our freight industry with logistics and to enhance the economical growth of Macau.

3) To bridge the communications between the Government with our industry, coordinate the relationship and interest of all parties’ concern.

Members

Currently MAFFA have 21 members, any company engaging in freight forwarding business and logistics activities are welcome to become a member of the association , provided that the company observes the rules and regulations of the association.

Board of Executives Directors and Supervisory Board

The Association has two Committees, the Board of Executives Directors and Supervisory Board. With seven Committee members in the Executive Board and three Committee members in the Supervisory Board.

Hightlights and Prospectives

1. Guangzhou & Macau Customs successfully launched “Cross Border One Electronic Seal” in Q3 2020, that would facilitate the living supplies & commodities importing from China, and foresee somewhat benefit to the export cargo in the year of 2021, MAFFA representative expressed several opinions to Macau Customs on how to improve the operations & process flow.

2. MAFFA progressive supported it’s member to negotiate with Macau International Airport entity in order to seek for better shipment acceptance process flow for both passenger air cargo & freighter operations.

3. MAFFA committee suggested that it’s necessary to make use of “Hanqin,Guangzhou & Macau Cooperation Zone” & “Nanhai Free Trade Port” to strengthen and support Macau’s logistics service, it has potential to develop Macau as logistic hub for promoting Macau as “World Centre for Tourism and Lesiure” as well as “Eastern Las Vega”.

4. New Macau Customs Clearance System had been launched to Macau International Airport in Dec 2020, MAFFA helped members to feedback the operations issue to Customs and seek for improvements.

5.  Updates & progress on HK-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge:

The Bridge will be targeted to operate it’s cargo transportation between HK & Macau in 2024 because it still take time to build up the transit station at Macau side with transit and clearance function, and need time to restructure Macau entrance of the Bridge, in the meantime MAFFA suggested 1) build up the public warehouse in case to handle the on-hold cargo which there’s no sufficient shipping documentation, and on-hold dangerous cargo as well for further arrangement, 2) sufficient parking space to transit the cargo smoothly , 3) Facilitate shipment clearance process between HK & Macau.

6.  MAFFA will continue to act as important role to feedback constructive opinion from members to Macau Government as well as China entity, in order to align and connect the development of Greater Bay Area ( HK, Macau, Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhongshan, Foshan, Zhaoqing and Jiangmen ) to Portuguese-Speaking Countries (PSCs) as mentioned in our previous annual report.

7.  Vigorously assisted the establishment of the Macau Logistics Association and became a representative to speak out to the government and fight for the rights and interests of the industry．

Macau Air Cargo development

As one of the important businesses of Macau International Airport, the air freight logistics industry has gradually decreased from 220,000 tons in 2004-2006 to 26,000 tons in 2013 due to the financial tsunami, direct flights between Taiwan & Macau and the convenience of customs clearance. It has since rebounded to 42,000 tonnes in 2019, although the water depth of Macau ports is insufficient, and it is difficult for Macau pier Terminal to serve as a deep-water port container distribution center, so the future development of air logistics in Macau is still a more successful condition than other modes of transport.

As one of the important external gateways of China, the target market for the development of the air transport logistics industry should be to attract import and export goods from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area to be transferred through the Macau International Airport, but compared with the nei***oring airports, regardless of the route network, cargo service quality, customs clearance convenience, logistics infrastructure, etc. are relatively weak, the airport must strengthen its own operating conditions, the government can also help the industry to strengthen its competitiveness, such as reviewing whether the aviation regulations, trade laws, logistics facilities, etc. can cooperate with the development of the air logistics industry, continuously optimize the convenience of customs clearance in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, and find land to assist the logistics industry in developing warehousing business; It is hoped that the central government and the Guangdong provincial government will strive to place the logistics center in Macau on the Guangdong-Macao-Hong Kong Bridge.

Affected by the epidemic in 2020, the freight trend has not developed according to the law, so we use the cargo volume of Macau International Airport in 2019 as the basis for analysis; Cargo development continued its upward trend in 2019, handling a total of 42,218 tones of cargo, an increase of 1.72% year-on-year, and cargo business continued to grow thanks to the increase in Qatar Airways' all-cargo freighter from two to four times a week, and Malaysia Airlines briefly resumed all-cargo freighter services in Australia in October 2019. This increased the cargo volume of all cargo aircraft at Macau International Airport to 10,472 tons, and its market share increased from about 9% of the market in 2018 to 25%.