Port presses on with £20m maintenance programme
Peel Ports Mersey has continued its investment in extra capacity at Port of Liverpool with the acquisition of six container carrier vehicles to take its fleet to 40.
The investment in the straddle carriers is part of an assets management and capital maintenance spend of £20m in 2012 to support continued growth in market share that Liverpool has enjoyed over recent years.
The Port of Liverpool, which handles nearly 40m tonnes of cargo annually, has bought one Liebherr and five Terex Noell diesel-electric straddle carriers.
The purchases have introduced a new supplier to the Port in Liebherr, following a successful trial. The equipment was fitted with the terminal's Navis/ITS GPRS operating platform and is fully integrated with the existing fleet.
Brad Crumbleholme, Peel Ports Mersey's engineering manager, said: "The investment in the straddle carrier fleet comes against a backdrop of substantial asset replacements and upgrades at the Port, and in addition to the £300m investment in our planned deep water container terminal, Liverpool 2, which will be operational in 2015.
"Both straddle carrier models are able to stack three containers in height (one over two), with the Liebherr straddle carrier providing extendable twin-lift spreader capability.
"Improved fuel efficiency and a reduction in noise and hydraulic fluid requirements are just some of the benefits from the investment. These features are also consistent with our commitment to sustainable economic growth and our responsibility to the environment, as detailed in our corporate social responsibility report.
"The Port of Liverpool has worked closely with designers in Germany to enhance the standard design of the carriers, maximising safety and improving maintainability, ensuring the specification is aligned to the business's strategic objectives."
