Docks win £1m investmentto bring in Far East trade

Oct 31 2007 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

FREIGHT and shipping specialist Quality Freight (UK) is investing £1m to transform Ellesmere Port docks.

The company is putting in a 150ft mobile harbour crane, enabling it to handle up to 700 tonnes of cargo an hour compared to the current 300 tonnes.

The purchase of the Liebherr 150 crane is the biggest single investment ever in new equipment at the Ellesmere Port docks.

Docks owner Peel Ports has spent more than £100,000 strengthening the quayside.

Sebastian Gardiner, managing director of Quality Freight (UK), said: “We have grown as a business significantly during the past year, but this investment allows us to move to the next level.

“The Liebherr 150 can handle bulk cargo, pallets and containers and has a lifting capacity much greater than is currently the case.

“Most of our shipping traffic is from European countries and the Mediterranean but we would like to attract more business from China and other parts of the Far East. There is no reason why this shouldn’t happen – Ellesmere Port docks can handle vessels of up to 20,000 tonnes.

“This investment by Quality Freight and supported by Peel Ports represents a leap of faith for Ellesmere Port .

“We’re currently handling about 500,000 tonnes a year through the docks, but this investment provides us with the opportunity to increase these volumes.”

The crane will be operated by Quality Freight (UK)’s 100% owned subsidiary, Edward Nicholson.

The expansion has been supported by Quality’s parent company Quality Freight Ireland, one of that country’s leading logistics providers with bases in Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Knock.

Quality Freight (UK) was formed in 2000 and provides a chartering agency and logistics operation. The company charters more than 800 vessels a year, making it the largest operation of its kind in the North West of England.

It also provides a stevedoring service and 300,000 sq ft of warehousing, distributing more than 500,000 tonnes of cargo entering or leaving the Manchester Ship Canal and surrounding area.

SEAFORTH PLANS: PAGE 6

tonymcdonough