Peel Ports Group - Experts & Thought Leaders

A new deep water bulk berth has been opened at the Port of Liverpool which will give a major boost to the port’s cargo handling operations. The first deep water bulk berth to be opened at the port in 40 years is located at Peel Ports Group’s Alexandra Complex, and represents an investment of £2 million by Peel Ports as part of its ongoing development of the Alexandra Complex. Bulk storage and handling requirements The new addition will increase the vessel handling capacity of both the Alexandra Complex The berth welcomed its inaugural vessel on Friday – the Andesborg – and will accommodate vessels up to handymax sizes. Combined with the existing N3 Alex berth, the new addition will increase the vessel handling capacity of both the Alexandra Complex and the Port of Liverpool as a whole. The 534,000 sq. ft. complex, where a £28 million state-of-the-art warehouse was also recently developed, is designed to provide a full, efficient solution for customers’ bulk storage and handling requirements. Modern storage facilities Phill Hall, Mersey Port Director, Peel Ports Group, said: “This is a significant moment for the Port of Liverpool. The addition of the new deep water bulk berth will not only allow us to accommodate larger vessels, it will also improve the port’s overall ability to manage bulk cargo, providing more efficient cargo operations and helping us to keep supply chains moving." “Not only does this project show our dedication to investing in infrastructure, when combined with our modern storage facilities the new berth ensures we can handle a diverse range of commodities and support customers with their needs.”

A £150m upgrade to an Ayrshire marine yard has been given a boost as it is awarded planning permission, paving the way for increased offshore wind power off the UK’s west coast. Peel Ports Clydeport has secured permission for the complete redevelopment of the Hunterston marine yard as it prepares the site for major renewables infrastructure. Upgrades to the marine yard The overall redevelopment of Hunterston is expected to attract £3.5bn in inward investment and create over 5,000 jobs The redevelopment works – which are expected to start in early 2025 and last for around two years – will include substantial upgrades to the marine yard, including infilling the current dry-dock basin and the creation of a new quay wall. Highview Power recently announced it is to construct the world’s largest Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) facility at Hunterston, the latest in a string of renewables projects that are either underway, or in the pipeline, at the site. The overall redevelopment of Hunterston is expected to attract £3.5bn in inward investment and create over 5,000 jobs. UK’s net-zero goals Lewis McIntyre, Managing Director – Port Services at Peel Ports Group, said: “Hunterston is set to become a major facilitator of the UK energy transition, and this decision is a big step forward in making that happen. It also proves that the West Coast is going to play a huge role in renewables." “There will be no energy transition without ports, and harnessing the potential of sites like Hunterston is key to achieving the UK’s net-zero goals. The knock-on benefits for the local and national economies are also significant. We look forward to working with the policymaking community to create the investment conditions we need to replicate the success of Hunterston at other sites across the country.” Transformation of the coal terminal In addition to the planning permission granted, the final hurdle of the redevelopment will be to secure the necessary marine licences, for which consultation is well underway, and once secured, the works can commence. The redevelopment will continue the transformation of the former Hunterston coal terminal into a pioneering hub for the blue and green economies. Of the 350 acres being redeveloped, some 90% of the site is already under option, supporting energy transition projects such as HVDC cable manufacturing, the UK’s first hub for the manufacturing of gravity base structures, power generation and storage.

The Port of Greenock has officially unveiled its new £25m ship-to-shore cranes as the investment boosts productivity at the facility. Owner Peel Ports Clydeport welcomed guests to the port today for a ceremony to celebrate the biggest-ever investment in Greenock’s container facilities. The west-facing freight port’s new infrastructure is already benefitting customers, with one vessel recently departing 13 hours earlier than planned because of the quicker turnaround time. £25m ship-to-shore cranes Jim McSporran, Port Director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said, “It’s been great to welcome guests and customers to Greenock today so we can celebrate this important addition to our port estate. We believe the new cranes will be transformational for our port, and it’s incredible the impact they are having already." “It’s clear to the human eye how much quicker they are, and we’ve had a great response from customers and our teams on the efficiencies they’re bringing. With so much pressure on supply chains, it’s invaluable for our customers to know our operations are even faster now.” Resilience and capacity Owen Griffiths, Logistics Director at drinks group Diageo, said, “We welcome the investment made by Peel Ports, who is an important partner to Diageo, in delivering resilience and capacity to our network out of Scotland, enabling our goods to reach our customers around the world.” Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said, “Between the Port of Greenock and the new Ocean Terminal visitor centre, that’s the best part of £50 million of public and private investment in the overall site, which is a key location for Inverclyde, to help boost the local and national economies and encourage further inward investment, support jobs, and boost tourism." New visitor centre “The new visitor centre has allowed for both the expansion of the cruise ship and also the container side of the port and cement Inverclyde’s place as a key shipping hub." “It’s great to see the investment in both facilities paying off with an increase in the number of vessels and improved turnaround times.” The cranes arrived at the port in June this year and have been fully operational since July following stringent testing.   Deep-sea container service The cranes are the largest single investment made at the container terminal and come less than a year The port operator believes the cranes will help accommodate increased demand from cargo owners, and support growth in transatlantic trade, as well as future-proof the port. The capabilities of the new cranes have already been key in securing new routes, including a new weekly deep-sea container service connecting Scotland to the Mediterranean market of Turkey. The cranes are the largest single investment made at the container terminal and come less than a year after a new £20 million cruise ship visitor centre opened at the neighbouring Greenock Ocean Terminal. Naming competition A naming competition for the 72m tall cranes was launched by Peel Ports Clydeport in partnership with Inverclyde Council, with the winners announced earlier in 2024. Avaleigh Lang, 10, of Lady Alice Primary in Greenock, chose Craner Swift as a nod to the US pop icon Taylor Swift, while Frances McFadden, 10, of the town’s St Mary’s Primary School opted for U-Crane Bolt as a tribute to Jamaican gold medallist Usain Bolt.