Peel Ports Group - Experts & Thought Leaders

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.

The event, organised by the industry’s regional cluster organisation, and hosted by CEO, Ruth Wood, in collaboration with Peel Ports Group and Connected Places Catapult, was hosted in the iconic location of the Liverpool City Region’s Combined Authority at Mann Island. Maritime Minister, Mike Kane MP, gave the keynote address, his first major speech in his new role at the Department for Transport, and panellist contributions were received from Stephen Carr, Chief Commercial Officer – Peel Ports Group; Mark Wray, Ecosystem Director Maritime and Ports – Connected Places Catapult; Mike Gaynon, Chief Executive Officer – Stanlow Terminals and Katherine Fairclough, Chief Executive – Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Key foundation industry Discussions focused on the economic impact of maritime and the Mersey Estuary in facilitating significant volumes of trade, supporting high quality and skilled jobs, driving productivity and the industry’s role as a key foundation industry for the whole regional economy. Greener maritime was showcased with the official launch of a major new report In a wide-ranging question and answer session, the importance of responding to major environmental challenges and delivering cleaner, greener maritime was showcased with the official launch of a major new report exploring the possibilities around a Liverpool/Belfast Green Shipping Corridor, the result of a significant collaborative effort spear-headed by the Connected Places Catapult in partnership with industry and academia locally. Responsible employment practices Commenting, Maritime Minister, Mike Kane MP said: “Coastal communities play a fundamentally important role in the UK economy and are critical to its long-term future. That is none more so than here in the Liverpool City Region with its long maritime heritage; the ideal place for me to deliver my first major speech in government at the Department for Transport.” “Our focus is now on the future. The success of this region has always been built on dynamic innovation and seizing opportunities to grow economically with a focus on skilled, secure, well-paid jobs and embedded in responsible employment practices. The willingness of the industry to meet the challenges of net zero will be key to the years ahead as the new Labour Government delivers on its commitment to energy transition through its flagship GB Energy policy. Maritime businesses in this region are already investing in the green skills and clean jobs that will help us deliver change. I look forward to working with the industry on our shared priorities of growth, skills and decarbonisation in the years ahead.” Fundamental challenge of decarbonisation Chief Executive of Mersey Maritime, Ruth Wood, said: “Maritime makes a massive contribution to the Liverpool City Region economy. We know it is worth at least £5 billion in business turnover and supports many thousands of jobs; nearly 50,000. Whilst our long maritime heritage speaks for itself, our region’s industry has never rested on its past, it has always looked to the future.” “That future is all about the major contribution our significant estuary, the River Mersey, will make to addressing some of the biggest challenges our country faces going forward: delivering economic growth, ensuring a thriving jobs market and responding to the fundamental challenge of decarbonisation and net zero.” “The North West and Liverpool City Region has the potential to be a driving force in the next green industrial revolution. From offshore wind to harnessing new energy sources in the estuary to world-leading innovation at Stanlow around hydrogen and carbon capture and storage and our business and academic assets, the ingredients exist here. Our future as a sector is incredibly exciting and we look forward to all that lies ahead.” Major industry sectors Stephen Carr, Group Commercial Director at Peel Ports Group said: “We were delighted to host industry leaders and welcome the Maritime Minister to Liverpool to showcase the crucial role Merseyside’s maritime sector plays in the regional and national economies.” “As the UK’s third largest estuary by tonnage, the River Mersey supports a vital and thriving maritime economy for Merseyside, enabling other major industry sectors to grow and prosper across the North West. We stand ready to play our part in supporting the new Government on projects which foster sustainable growth for trade, enhancing skills for quality employment and facilitating the transition to a greener energy future.” Rich maritime history Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Business, Investment and Trade, Cllr Mike Wharton said: “We have a long and rich maritime history which has been key to the city region’s fortunes. It’s a history of entrepreneurship and innovation – including the world’s first commercial wet dock – that propelled Liverpool City Region’s growth to become one of the world’s most famous and important ports.” “Our £5bn maritime industry continues to play a crucial role in our economy and we must seize the future, embracing every opportunity to increase trade and economic prosperity to create secure, well-paid jobs, while at the same time leading the way in maritime decarbonisation. I welcome CPC’s Green Shipping Corridor report that outlines a route to a net-zero future for maritime on the River Mersey.” Steam ship service Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Chief Executive, Katherine Fairclough said: “The River Mersey has long been the Liverpool City Region’s lifeblood, providing a gateway to the world that’s driven trade, innovation and prosperity.” “Supporting 48,000 jobs, our £5bn maritime industry remains vital to the city region’s economy and it’s essential we work with our partners to define the next illustrious chapter in our port’s long and storied history. By harnessing our natural assets, we are perfectly positioned to be at the forefront of the green energy transition and through our entrepreneurial and innovative spirit we are well-placed to lead the world in maritime decarbonisation, helping to protect the planet while growing our economy. We welcome CPC’s report on creating a Green Shipping Corridor between Liverpool and Belfast.” “We’ve come a long way since a steam ship service began operating between the two great ports in 1824. Two hundred years later, advances in technology and our position as a global centre of advanced manufacturing, mean we are well placed to seize the tantalising opportunities offered by embracing and driving the green industrial revolution.” Green industrial revolution Mike Gaynon, CEO Stanlow Terminals, said: “We are grateful to Mersey Maritime for the valuable opportunity to hear from the new Minister and from those partners who are ensuring that our region continues to deliver economic growth through our maritime connected ports and infrastructure.”  “We are excited about the investment we are making in industrial decarbonisation and to be part of the development of Green Shipping Corridors. We’ve been serving our region for a century and we remain committed to ensuring that we can continue to provide the vital fuels that our economy needs, today and in the future, whilst ensuring that we are reducing our carbon emission and creating highly skilled well-paid jobs.”