Port owner Peel Ports expects to have vacancies ranging from port operatives and straddle carrier drivers to engineers and from data analysts to managerial roles. Tony McDonough reports

More than 200 extra staff will be taken on at the Port of Liverpool during 2019 as the volume of cargo passing through the port increase.

Port owner Peel Ports took on 145 staff in 2018, all living within 10 miles of the port, and this year it expects to have vacancies ranging from port operatives and straddle carrier drivers to engineers and from data analysts to managerial roles.

Increased trade

There have been a number of announcements already this year in relation to increased trade at the port. In January the 2M Alliance, which comprises Maersk Line and MSC, made the temporary switch of its TA4 route, linking the UK with several US ports, from Felixstowe to Liverpool permanent.

At the end of January Liverpool-based value retail giant B&M said it was increasing the volume of goods it was bringing in through Seaforth. Following on from that, haulier JWT, which handles logistic for B&M, announced a multi-million pound expansion of its presence at the port.

Career paths

Peel Ports chief executive Mark Whitworth, said: “We have always been one of the region’s biggest employers and I’m delighted that our success is allowing us to keep growing. In recent years we’ve transformed what we do and how we do it.

“That provides a huge range of career paths for people joining us, supported by the investment we’re making in development and progress opportunities. We’re really excited to be attracting the latest generation of maritime talent.”

Click here for more information about vacancies at Peel Ports

Peel Ports has experienced 7.2% compound growth in the last six years. Last year the company increased turnover by 11%. It also announced a new rail freight service from Liverpool to the north and continued growth with key customers.

The company opened a new linkspan at the Port of Heysham last year and is progressing the expansion of the £750m Liverpool2 terminal.

Natural turnover

This recruitment drive is in addition to replacing staff through natural turnover. It is part of a wider move to bring 250 new staff on board during 2019 in anticipation of new commercial opportunities and further business growth.

It is particularly aiming to recruit function heads, senior managers, operations experts and supply chain leaders from beyond the traditional port community as it aims to expand and strengthen its wider range of logistics services.

Peel Ports increased its staff count last year by over 430, of which 330 employees were transferred in from agency staff and the remaining 100 roles were due to growth.