100 cargo owners sign up for campaign to cut haulage miles

Peel Ports announced on Wednesday that it has secured 100 advocates for its Cargo200 initiative and is urging other cargo owners in the North West to add their weight to the campaign. Among the latest names to provide their support are leading TV and internet retailer QVC and Ultimate Products, which sources and distributes branded consumer goods from 27 countries to more than 450 high-street retailers in the UK.

The Real Good Food Company, a diversified food business operating in manufacturing, wholesale, retail, export and foodservice, has also signed up. The company recently opened a new global headquarters for its food technology and innovation functions in Liverpool, which will also act as its regional hub for the north of England.

The initiative was launched last year, with Peel Ports calling for importers and exporters whose goods begin or end their journey in the north of the UK, to switch current delivery of ocean freight from south-east ports to the centrally located Port of Liverpool. The initiative aims to cut freight mileage by 200 million miles over the next five years. In addition to achieving significant carbon reduction, the company also estimates that the move could save up to £400 per container in transportation costs by delivering to the heartland of the UK.

Diageo, JCB, B&M, Jaguar Land Rover, Matalan, Bentley and Typhoo were among the first 50 customers to respond to the Cargo200 initiative, encouraging the UK freight and logistics industry to deliver a fundamental shift in supply chain and services routes. Now more than a further 50 have added their voice.

Peel Ports’ Group Commercial Director, Patrick Walters said:

“We’re now past the halfway mark and our campaign to create a sustainable shift in the UK logistics sector continues to gain momentum. What this proves is that there is clear, substantial demand from cargo owners to save costs, congestion and carbon emissions by shipping closer to their markets.

“The new and expanded services we have already announced this year demonstrate that shipping lines have confidence in the benefits offered by Liverpool as the UK’s most centrally located national port. The success of the Cargo200 initiative so far provides further evidence of the significant commercial gains to be secured by increasing the frequency and capacity of calls via Liverpool.”

Lorna Billinge, Global VP QA (Quality Assurance) and SC (Supply Chain) of QVC, which has its Knowsley distribution centre nine miles from the Port of Liverpool, said:

“Our business lives on rapid response to customer demand and shipping through Liverpool provides us with greater predictability and resilience in our supply chain, by avoiding the uncertainty and delays associated with longer road or rail journeys. Reducing land freight mileage also allows us to minimise our carbon footprint. With our operations centre strategically positioned in the North West, increasing our trade via Liverpool is a key part of our strategy to meet increases and changes in customer demand.”

Andrew Gossage, Managing Director of Ultimate Products said:

“Our goal is to be world-class, efficient suppliers of branded consumer goods to our retail customers across the UK. Our turnover has already increased from £50m to £80m in the last two years and we see trade via Liverpool as a key element of how we meet growing demand for the products we distribute. Many of our big-name customers, including supermarkets and department stores, also place a priority on having an environmentally responsible supply chain. Being able to reduce our emissions from transport by shipping through Liverpool is important benefit to them.”

David Wright, Group Operations Director of the Real Good Food Company said:

“We have a long and proud association with the city of Liverpool and our Renshaw factory has been a major employer in the city for many years. A short, integrated and reliable supply chain is important for the continued success of business, and trading via Liverpool offers us those benefits. We are also committed to minimising our carbon footprint and endorse Peel Ports’ ambition to cut road and rail freight miles from the UK logistics sector.”

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