Port owner says October was its best-ever month for container volumes as it gets ready to increase capacity at the Liverpool2 terminal. Tony McDonough reports

Container volumes at the Port of Liverpool hit record levels in October, growing 12% year-on-year, according to owner Peel Ports.

Peel didn’t reveal the number of containers that passed through the port, at Seaforth on the banks of the Mersey, but said it exceeded all previous monthly figures with cargos spears across 12 separate shipping lines.

The company added it had also managed reduce the length of time trucks are spending at the port. The average truck turnaround time at the Port of Liverpool is now consistently below 40 minutes.

David Huck, managing director at Peel Ports, said: “More businesses are realising that it makes more sense to ship products closer to their end destinations. For much of the UK container market Liverpool is the port that offers the shortest supply chain, helping to reduce costs, congestion and carbon emissions.

“It’s testament to the efforts of our whole team that we’re able to significantly increase traffic at the port while also providing our customers with an excellent service.”

Jon Whitely, managing director of JWT Haulage, one of the biggest haulage companies in the North West, added: “The Port of Liverpool’s latest throughput figures prove that Peel’s focus on road haulage efficiency is working.

“Thanks to the infrastructure and processes in place at Liverpool, drivers are able to spend less time inactive and more time focusing on the safe, timely delivery of containers to customers across the UK.”

Peel Ports has into an agreement with global terminal business, Terminal Investment Limited Sarl (TiL). The proposed joint venture involves the development of the Liverpool2 container terminal and will enable Peel Ports to accelerate its growth plans. 

Work has already started on the second phase of the Liverpool2 project development to provide additional capacity for the expected increase in volumes. This will see the arrival of STS cranes before the end of the year, with the overall project expected to be completed during 2021.

The multi-million pound project will significantly increase the footprint of the site and see the addition of ten cantilever rail mounted gantry cranes (CRMGs) and three ship-to-shore cranes (STS).