New Liverpool cruise terminal back on course

Global Port Holdings has signed a 50-year lease for the port, agreeing to construct a new terminal building in the process.

Established in 2004, GPH bills itself as the world’s largest cruise port operator. The company, which has offices in London, Istanbul, and Barcelona, operates 30 cruise ports in 17 countries.

Liverpool Cruise Port marks the company’s first foray into the British Isles.

After signing its lease deal with Peel Ports Group subsidiary The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, GPH committed up to £25m for improving the infrastructure at the port.

This will include installing an additional floating pontoon. This pontoon would allow for two 300-metre ships to berth at the same time, bringing in up to 7,000 passengers.

GPH said the money would also go towards a new terminal building that would offer space for retail and hospitality.

This terminal will be different than the 108,000 sq ft version approved in 2018, according to GPH. Those plans had a price tag of just shy of £90m as of 2023. Designed by Stride Treglown, that terminal had been priced at £50m but inflation, rising costs, and the pandemic had led to the increased financial requirement.

This newer terminal, which will require planning permission, would be able to be delivered for less than £25m.

GPH investment in Liverpool Cruise Port is projected to grow the number of cruise passengers from the 186,000 that passed through in 2023 to around 300,000 a year after the works complete.

“Liverpool boasts a rich maritime heritage, and the GPH team looks forward to working with all stakeholders to further enhance the success of this remarkable destination,” said Mehmet Kutman, the company’s chairman and chief executive.

Peel Ports Group’s David Huck, Global Investment Holdings’ Mehmet Ali Deniz, Liverpool City Council’s Andrew Lewis, and Global Ports Holdings’ Stephen Xuereb have announced a £25m investment into the port’s infrastructure. Credit: via Big Partnership

GPH takes over the port lease from Liverpool City Council, which announced its intention to pull out of the terminal last year. The city council had run the port since 2007.

Upon announcing the city council’s intention to pull out of the terminal, Cllr Nick Small, cabinet member for growth and economy, said the local authority had achieved its goals for the port. Since the council took the lease, the cruise terminal has generated more than £110m to the city’s visitor economy.

“We’ve gone from a situation of having no cruise industry in Liverpool to the success we have now,” he told reporters.

Small also said: “What we want to do is put investment in, pump, prime, and develop a sector and move on and put investment into whatever the next thing is going to be that create jobs.”

In the wake of the GPH announcement, Liverpool City Council chief executive Andrew Lewis welcomed the cruise operator to Liverpool.

“Responsibility for Liverpool’s cruise operations now passes to a world-leading operator, with ambitious plans to grow Liverpool’s position as an excellent cruise and tourism destination,” he said.

“We look forward to working closely with GPH to support their ambitions, and to extending a warm welcome to many more visitors to Liverpool.”

David Huck, Peel Ports Group’s chief operating officer, paid homage to the city council’s work at the cruise terminal.

“Liverpool City Council’s stewardship of the port over the last two decades has truly transformed the city into a thriving cruise tourism destination,” Huck said. “We see this new chapter as an opportunity for us to build upon that legacy.

“We look forward to making that vision a reality alongside GPH through a strategic partnership and our combined maritime and cruise expertise.”