Earlier start to Liverpool’s working week

The terminal last year attracted three new North Atlantic container services and is about to host the first ship on a new independent feeder service linking with the North European hubs of major lines. Volumes handled in 2006 rose by 20,000 teu, to a total annual box traffic of 645,000 teu.

With the new weekend start, the Liverpool terminal offers a continuous landside operation from 10pm on Sunday through to 3pm the following Saturday. Among other recent improvements in a £4m investment programme are the introduction of three new straddle carriers and the placing of an order for another three, to give the terminal a total fleet of 35 machines; the creation of an extra eight truck interchange bays; and the provision of 20% more container park, providing another 1,000 ground slots.

Peel Ports has also successfully applied for a Harbour Revision Order to build a £90m post-Panamax container terminal on the River Mersey, doubling the Port’s container capacity to nearly 1.5m teu. A detailed planning study is now under way.