Freight at MIA grows by 8 percent

The growing transport of pharmaceuticals to and from Miami International Airport helped to boost the overall value of its international freight business in 2016, which rose eight percent to $57.3 billion, officials announced Tuesday.

Last year pharmaceutical shipments alone accounted for $4.4 billion of its total international freight trade — an increase of 48 percent from 2015, the airport said in a news release.

The 2016 findings are based on recent data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The airport’s pharma trade has grown by 140 percent since 2010, when the value of pharma shipments totaled $1.8 billion.

“MIA’s continued growth means a stronger economy and more job creation for our community,” MiamiDade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez said.

To help grow the pharmaceutical air cargo industry globally, MIA partnered with Brussels Airport in October 2016 to create Pharma.Aero — an association of airport operators, shippers and other stakeholders working to improve worldwide handling and quality.

The year before, Miami International became the second facility worldwide behind Brussels to be designated by the International Air Transport Association as a pharma freight hub.

Since its launch, Pharma.Aero has welcomed more airports as well as airlines and pharmaceutical companies as strategic members.

In 2016, Miami International was the busiest airport for international freight in the U.S. handling 83 percent of all air imports, officials said. It also handled 79 percent of all exports between the U.S. and the Latin American/Caribbean region.

“Our efforts to maximize pharma freight traffic at MIA continue to pay dividends for Miami-Dade County, the state and the nation,” said Emilio T. González, the county’s aviation director.