(Reuters) -Parcel giant United Parcel Service ( UPS ) halted cargo-sorting operations at Louisville International Airport after its wide-body freighter burst into flames shortly after takeoff on late Tuesday, killing nine people, including three crew members.

The airport, which has now reopened to air traffic, houses UPS's largest package-handling facility and a critical hub for its global air-cargo operations.

UPS's cargo operations were also expected to resume by Wednesday morning, but the company had not issued an official update yet.

A prolonged shutdown at the facility, known as Worldport, could have a cascading effect on the U.S. logistics network, potentially delaying deliveries and disrupting supply chains.

Below are a few key facts about the facility and its role in global commerce.

LOCATION AND SCALEThe Worldport facility in Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport spans about 5.2 million square feet, or roughly 90 football fields and serves as the global air logistics nerve center for UPS.

CAPACITY

Handles around 2 million packages per day. The automated sorting system can process up to 420,000 packages/letters per hour.

DAILY OPERATIONS

Sees an average of about 360 inbound and outbound flights each day, connecting more than 200 countries and territories. That compares with about 150 passenger flights to and from the airport.

STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE

The hub links North America, Europe, and Asia, serving as the core of UPS's overnight delivery network. The delivery giant acts as a key logistics partner for e-commerce giant Amazon ( AMZN ) and the United States Postal Service among others.

HISTORY

UPS operations in Louisville began with a small facility sorting about 2,000 air packages per day in the early 1980s. The company made major upgrades in 2002, 2010 and in 2022, it added two healthcare logistics facilities and a new aircraft hangar.

(Reporting by Shivansh Tiwary in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)