Liverpool earmarked as ‘superport’ in massive maritime expansion plans

Jun 5 2007 by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

PLANS for a sister roll-on, roll-off berth in Liverpool to Birkenhead’s Twelve Quays and a huge expansion of Runcorn’s port at Weston Point were outlined last night to a government minister.

Both projects could start within two to three years as part of the biggest ever shopping spree for Merseyside’s maritime sector, worth more than £370m, Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman was told in London.

The minister, who has responsi-bility for shipping, was briefed by Jim Teasdale, chief executive of Mersey Maritime and representa-tives from Peel, owners of the Port of Liverpool, Liverpool John Lennon Airport and the Manchester Ship Canal.

The new ro-ro facility at Liver-pool’s Langton Dock will cost at least £20m and could come as soon as 2010, according to a new study by maritime sector experts.

Dr Ladyman was told about a growth strategy for the Mersey Ports that will embrace 12 projects between now and 2025. Linked to Peel’s own proposals to expand operations along the Manchester Ship Canal, the Mersey will emerge as the UK’s third most important port in the level of cargo it handles.

The biggest scheme in the list will see the building of a new in-river container berth at Seaforth to enable the world’s biggest super-vessels to use the Mersey.

The scheme, costing £90m, represents the biggest and most expensive ever project earmarked for the port.

The Langton Dock scheme has been in the pipeline for some years, to provide roll-on, roll-off services to Ireland as an alterna-tive to Twelve Quays in Birkenhead. Other schemes will see improved road and rail links in and around Merseyside to handle extra docks-related traffic.

Last night Mr Teasdale said: “Everything in the growth strate-gy document is absolutely realis-tic. We are working towards an evolving superport project that will see an integration between sea, air, rail and road. It will be the first strategy of its kind in the UK which is why the minister is taking an interest. Our intention is to brief him about develop-ments in Merseyside and Manchester.

“It will lead to increased traffic and when the amounts handled by the Port of Liverpool and the ship canal are added it will take total tonnage to over 41m tonnes in a year,” added Mr Teasdale.

Peel and Mersey Maritime believe the emerging switch towards integrated transport models, and the possibility of road charging, will make the Merseyside transport hub a success story. Roy Morris, chairman of The Mersey Partner-ship, said: “The Liverpool City Region is already a global gateway and distribution hub, making the maritime industry a key growth sector for its £17bn economy.”

Frank Robotham, marketing director of Peel Ports, said: “The momentum of the renaissance of the maritime sector on Mersey-side is reflected by the purchase of the Cammell Laird’s site by Peel Holdings this year to protect its future for maritime use.”Š

The Mersey Ports Growth Strat-egy is being co-ordinated by Mersey Maritime, the private sector, The Mersey Partnership, Northwest Regional Development Agency and North West Regional Assembly.

larryneild