A £140m expansion of the Liverpool2 container terminal at the Port of Liverpool is now complete and Peel Ports says container capacity has now risen by 30%. Tony McDonough reports

Port of Liverpool owner Peel Ports has now completed the £140m expansion of the Liverpool2 container terminal at the Port of Liverpool, increasing capacity by 30%.

Opened in 2016, the £400m Liverpool2 terminal was a game-changer for the port, giving it the capacity to handle 95% of the world’s biggest container vessels. Peel Ports has now increased the number of larger cranes at Terminal 1 from six to eight with a 12-week commissioning programme completed in January.

Last year 10 new cantilever rail-mounted gantry (CRMG) cranes, which led to the opening of an additional 15 acres of yard capacity at Terminal 2. Overall the expansion of the deep water facility has led to the creation of around 150 jobs.

In the last couple of years there has been a surge in demand from shipping companies at Liverpool2. Last year, DKT Allseas (part of Allseas Global Logistics), made its temporary freight service between China and the Port of Liverpool permanent due to “overwhelming demand”.

In December 2020, Maersk and MSC switched the UK call of their TA2 transatlantic container route from Felixstowe to Liverpool. This follows a decision by the companies to switch their TA4 transatlantic route from the southern port to the Mersey in 2018.

This latest investment by Peel Ports will allow for much greater efficiency and faster turnaround times for the loading and discharging of taller container vessels. The new cranes utilise high tensile steel and lattice boom and beam construction and are designed and built by Liebherr Container Cranes.

They feature improved functionality to ensure the highest performance is maintained consistently. The new cranes also have greater connectivity, so they can be monitored remotely to deliver optimum performance with the most efficient use of power.

With the majority of the UK and Ireland’s population closer to The Port of Liverpool, rather than southern ports, continued investment in securing sustainable growth is key for Peel Ports.

The location of the Port is of strategic importance to major importers and exporters of goods as it offers connectivity to Ireland and access to a catchment area of over 35m people.

David Huck, chief operating officer at Peel Ports, said “Innovation and the continued investment in infrastructure and our people are at the heart of our business strategy. We are delighted to see these new cranes now in full operation.

“They represent a significant investment in our capability and highlight our commitment to ensuring the Port of Liverpool continues to provide a highly efficient service.

“Together with the completion of the final stage of development and increased capacity at Terminal 2 last year, the Port of Liverpool has never been in better shape to handle increased cargo volumes and deliver further transformational service and choice to our customers.”