Miami International Airport, already the busiest international cargo airport in the U.S. and one of the busiest globally, has approved a new vertical cargo facility set to significantly boost cargo volumes.
Miami-Dade County commissioners approved a deal with private developers this week to construct the $400 million Vertically Integrated Cargo Community, following an unsolicited bid. This four-story vertical hub, the first of its kind in the western hemisphere, will be LEED silver certified.
The new facility will increase the airport's cargo capacity by up to two million tons annually, raising the total capacity to between 4.5 and 5 million tons. Completion is scheduled for 2029.
MIA is projected to handle 2.9 million tons of cargo in 2024, setting another record. In 2023, the airport ranked seventh worldwide for cargo, with Hong Kong ranking first.
