Port of Liverpool owner Peel Ports has won a national award for its commitment to the Government’s Maritime 2050 sector strategy including its net zero focus. Tony McDonough reports

Port of Liverpool operator Peel Ports has been recognised for its commitment to the Government’s Maritime 2050 strategy.

Published in January 2019, Maritime 2050 set out a blueprint for the future of the UK’s £50bn maritime sector over the next three decades. Its seven key themes are environment, infrastructure, technology, security and resilience, people, UK competitive advantage and trade.

At the Maritime UK Awards Peel Ports, which operates port facilities at Liverpool, Heysham, Medway, Clydeport and Great Yarmouth, as well as the Manchester Ship Canal, scooped the Maritime 2050 award.

In 2021, Peel Ports announced its commitment to becoming net zero by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Government’s national targets. It is the first major port group to make such an ambitious pledge.

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In addition, last year, the port operator enabled the launch of several new services and trade opportunities, such as a freight-only ferry service connecting the Port of Sheerness and Calais with operator DFDS and the expansion of new multi-modal rail connections and crane capacity at the Port of Liverpool.

Major infrastructure investments over the last decade, to the tune of £1.2bn, include the concept and launch of Liverpool2, a £400m deep water container terminal and the £100m development of a custom-built biomass import facility.

It also includes the ongoing regeneration of Hunterston PARC, showcased by the government as one of the UK’s most exciting inward investment opportunities for the blue and green economy.

Peel Ports chief executive Mark Whitworth said: “Being recognised for our efforts in the 2050 category is a fantastic, progressive achievement for our teams. We are proud to have worked tirelessly to support the key objectives of Maritime 2050, as well as facilitating continuous economic growth at a national and regional level.

“The recognition from our peers supports the resilience we have shown in the face of challenges posed by the pandemic, global port congestion and Brexit. 

“Our teams continue to rise to every challenge and our success over the last 12 months has further positioned our ambitions for sustainable growth and the positive economic impact this has on the regions we operate within.”

It is the third award Peel Ports has won in the last 12 months after being recognised as Greenfleet’s private sector commercial fleet of the year for its conversion to electric vehicles, as well as winning UK Ports Directory’s port operator of the year award.