Peel ports has commenced with phase two of its expansion programme at Liverpool2, the recently opened facility and new freight connection of port Liverpool to mainland Britain. This phase includes a further expansion of the terminal through the investment in equipment and port infrastructure works and an addition of more port technology solutions.

Liverpool2 was opened in November last year, complementing the neighbouring Royal Seaforth Container Terminal at the Port of Liverpool. With its own integrated rail terminal it connects the deep water facility directly to the rest of the country. The expansion enables access to a catchment area of over 35 million people, nearly two-thirds of the UK’s population, said Peel Ports upon opening the facility.

Competitive rail freight route

After being operative for nearly nine months the company is now ready to begin with the second phase of the expansion. Three additional ship to shore cranes (STS) and ten cantilever rail mounted gantry cranes (CRMG) will be installed, making a total of eight STS cranes and 22 CRMG cranes at Liverpool2. Further, additional reefer points will be installed to allow the terminal to handle a greater number of refrigerated containers.

Mark Whitworth, CEO of Peel Ports said: “The world class facilities which we have at Liverpool2 will allow us to capture and grow a greater share of the container market, offering cargo owners in the north of the country a more competitive route to market, getting their goods closer to their end destination.”

Currently Liverpool has a 45 per cent market share and is the only major container port in the north or west of the UK. Freight services from Liverpool include two daily biomass (organic or renewable fuel types) trains from the port to Drax Power Station in Yorkshire, the largest and most efficient coal-fired power plant in the UK.

Strategic location

“Our investment will help global shippers to transport cargo more efficiently to their end destination with lower costs, congestion and carbon emissions. Liverpool is in the right location, providing state-of-the art facilities and technology, and offers a real competitive advantage with a shorter supply chain”, Whitworth said.

The company urges importers and exporters whose goods are destined for the North of England to switch delivery of ocean-freight from south-east ports to the Port of Liverpool, claiming that this would save UK businesses around 400 million pound (448 million Euros) a year as well as cut inland freight mileage by 200 million miles by 2020.

Peel Ports is currently preparing the outline designs in order to appoint construction partners in spring next year. Construction work is expected to commence shortly after and estimated to be completed in 2019.

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Rail terminal of Liverpool expansion