Port of Liverpool owner Peel Ports invests £4m into its bulk cargo terminals, employing digital technology to reduce stock losses and ‘revenue leakage’. Tony McDonough reports
Peel Ports is to invest a further £4m into its bulk cargo terminals at Liverpool, Birkenhead, Runcorn and Glasgow.
It has teamed up with digitalisation specialist TBA to change how its bulk cargo terminals operate. Peel Port says this represents “one of the most comprehensive operational transformation projects ever undertaken within the group”.
This programme aims to improve accuracy and efficiency across the bulk operations, halving stock losses across its terminals and cutting revenue leakage by up to 3%.
As part of the project, infrastructure integration, process redesign and advanced digital integration will all come together into a single, unified model
TBA’s terminal operating system CommTrac will connect weighbridges, ANPR gates, driver self-service kiosks and handheld devices into one fully integrated single platform.
From vessel discharge through to customer dispatch, every movement of cargo will be digitised, consistently managed and captured through this platform.
Drivers will check in via ANPR, confirm dispatches via self-service kiosks, and record load movements using mobile devices – eliminating manual data entry and reducing the potential for error.
Underpinning the digital enhancements is a major programme of infrastructure investment, ensuring the operator’s dry bulks network is equipped for predictive planning tools and smart service delivery models.
The programme also introduces a new level of workforce flexibility, with standardised processes, systems and interfaces in place, teams can move seamlessly between sites, supporting resilience, consistency and service continuity.
READ MORE: £174m dividends windfall for Port of Liverpool owners
READ MORE: Liverpool city region maritime sector now worth £9bn
Gavin Laybourne, chief technology and information officer at Peel Ports, said: “In a sector where processes are traditionally shaped by legacy systems, our new technology enables us to centre our operations around customer needs and data-driven insights.
“Together, we’re setting a new industry benchmark, transforming the way we serve our customers.”
This work is also being supported by the CommTrac mobile app, offering teams real-time operational data, streamlined load recording and enhanced situational awareness directly from the quayside or terminal floor.
By reducing reliance on fixed infrastructure and embedding live information at the point of activity, Peels says the app strengthens both speed and accuracy in environments where minute-by-minute efficiency matters.