Peel Ports Group reports record steel imports at the Port of Liverpool and says it wants to establish a ‘global hub’ on the Mersey. Tony McDonough reports

Peel Ports Group says steel imports at the Port of Liverpool hit record levels in 2024.

During the year 702,000 tonnes of steel were processed at the port and Peel says it wants to establish a ‘global hub’ on the Mersey. Imports came in from countries including South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Turkey, and other European countries.

This surpasses the port’s previous record by more than 50,000 tonnes and follows significant investment by Peel Ports into infrastructure at the port as the company looks to bolster its support for the steel industry.

It has invested £2million into the development of a new deep water bulk berth at the port’s Alexandra complex, expanding its cargo handling operations. Liverpool is able to accommodate a range of vessels, including Handymax bulk carriers.

A further investment in 200,000 sq ft of additional, inside storage space has been made in 2025 to expand Peel Ports Group’s coil and precious metals handling capabilities at the port.

Around 85% of the steel imported into the Port of Liverpool in 2024 was steel coil, set to be used across a range of industries including construction, automotive, agricultural, renewable energy projects, medical healthcare, and manufacturing.

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Phil Hall, Mersey port director at Peel Ports Group, said: “The Port of Liverpool is a deep water gateway to global markets and we’re thrilled to achieve a record-breaking year for steel imports.

“The figures speak for themselves, showing the work we’re doing to meet our ambition of cementing Liverpool as the leading UK hub providing vital commodities to a range of industries.

“That’s further supported by our dedication to investing in the port’s infrastructure, market reach, our port-centric services, and our expert teams.

“We look forward to building on this success with our customers and developing this market leading proposition further.”