Peel Ports boosts capacity in Liverpool
The Royal Seaforth container terminal will see 5,000 container parking spaces, known as ground slots, added to its yard in the coming weeks.
The port operator, 51% owned by Peel and 49% by Deutsche Bank's real estate arm RREEF, has also added a new £1.1m IT system resulting in 30% improvement in vehicle turnaround times this year.
David Huck, head of port operations at the Port of Liverpool, said: "Already 2010 has seen significant advances in our productivity, and we are growing accordingly. We have increased our stacking area by some 22%, and now by the end of October we will have on stream an additional 5,000 ground slots.
"The coming months will see the Port delivering further increased operating capacity, integrated landside and shipside operations and the second phase of our SMART VBS, creating the seamless and efficient operation that our growing base of customers require.
"The message to the industry is clear; the Port of Liverpool is on an upward curve, supported by extensive investment in our operational systems, processes, technology and our people in response to continued growth. We are very much aware that we need to continually support that growth by bringing online further operational capacity, and to do this in line with demand is key."
Stephen Carr, head of business development at the Port of Liverpool, added: "Liverpool is quickly becoming the port of choice for many supply chains, not just due to the savings that can be made in inland transport costs and emissions, but because of our focus on generating a reliable service that eliminates delay.
"Liverpool now records the fastest turnaround times of any UK port with 95% of truck drivers processed though the Port within an hour, and 65% within 30 minutes.
"We have a long-term investment plan that delivers increased capacity in phases over the next 18 months along with the in-river Post-Panamax terminal, which will be operational in 2014."
Together, the Port of Liverpool and Manchester Ship Canal handle more than 40 million tonnes of cargo and 16,500 ship movements a year – making the River Mersey Britain's third busiest estuary.
