NEW YORK At Worldport, an air cargo hub in Louisville, Kentucky, Boeing 747 jets with cargo bound for Asia take off one after another before dawn. The facility belongs to United Parcel Service, the largest U.S. package delivery company.
Airlines shun the 747 because of its low fuel efficiency, and Boeing has reduced production of the aircraft. For UPS, however, the large-body plane may become more important, because demand for cargo shipments to Asia is likely to grow. David Abney, CEO of the logistics company, said a major driver of this growth will be the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 12-nation trade agreement that was signed last month and is awaiting ratification. He said the pact will help boost goods distribution across all industries.
