Peel Ports pumps £10m into Heysham

Works to be delivered in the upgrade of the Lancashire freight facility include the trailer park’s reconfiguration, multi-lane ‘smart gate’ tech and a new terminal operating system.

Peel Ports Group, the UK’s second largest ports operator behind ABP, said it is keen to future-proof and further increase capacity and efficiencies at the site, a key trade link between the UK mainland, the Island of Ireland and the Isle of Man.

Shipping operators set to benefit include Isle of Man Steam Packet, CLDN and Stena Line.

The extra space created by reconfiguring the site’s trailer park will accommodate future growth, including Stena Line’s deployment of two new-build NewMax ferries at the port, which will boost freight capacity by 40% compared to previous vessels.

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Peel Ports said the works will begin in the coming weeks. Phil Hall, Mersey port director at Peel Ports Group, said: “This investment is hugely positive news for Heysham Port and the local community. We believe this work will future-proof our operations here for decades to come, as well as create growth opportunities for the facility in the process.

“We’ve already received great feedback from our customers about these plans, and it’s clear this infrastructure investment will really benefit our operations here in the years ahead.”

Paul Grant, regional trade director for Stena Line said: “We welcome the investment from Peel Ports into the operations and additional space at Heysham Port.

“We have seen sustained growth in the unaccompanied freight market on this route, and we expect this trend to continue as we add further capacity.

“With the first of our new hybrid ships due to begin on the route later this year, the improved efficiency and extra space at the terminal will help facilitate the additional traffic and ensure a reliable service for our customers.”