United Parcel Service Inc. began operating the first phase of the US$1.1 billion Worldport expansion at Louisville International Airport last month. The first phase will allow UPS to expand its package-sorting capacity at the hub by 15 per cent, to 350,000 packages per hour, from 304,000 packages per hour. The second phase is scheduled to open in May 2010. A third phase will begin when the economy turns around and air freightshipping rebounds, the company said.

When the total project is complete, Worldport will be expanded to 5.2 million square feet from 4 million square feet. The number of aircraft docks will be expanded to 70 from 26. The number of conveyors will be expanded to 31,578from 12,874.