Memphis International Airport was the busiest cargo airport in the world in 2020, buoyed by FedEx Express’ surge in volume, according to preliminary data. Memphis’ air cargo volume in 2020 surpassed longtime No. 1 Hong Kong International Airport, per Airports Council International, which released the preliminary rankings Thursday. In total, Memphis handled 4.6 million metric tons of cargo last year. "We take pride in our ranking in the air cargo industry, which serves as a positive reminder of the importance of FedEx and e-commerce to the Mid-South’s economy,” said Pace Cooper, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, in a statement. "It also illustrates the crucial role cargo has served during the pandemic. We are working diligently to facilitate continued growth by FedEx and the ongoing recovery of our passenger traffic."