Liverpool focuses on connectivity, capability and inland reach

The Port of Liverpool has left behind its history of labour militancy in the face of containerisation and market reforms. Today, the port is focused on leveraging its location, connectivity, capability and inland reach to capture a greater share of the UK freight market.

In an interview with WorldCargo News, Emma Snell, who is Peel Ports’ Head of Business Development at the Port of Liverpool – Containers Division, outlined how the famous Mersey waterfront is changing to adapt to the demands of the twenty-first century.

Perhaps more than any other UK port, the conversion to containerised traffic has radically transformed the docks in Liverpool. The city centre nature of the waterfront puts it all on display. From her vantage point, Emma Snell sees that transformation continue to evolve.

“The containers market has been widely characterised as fragile or struggling for several years,” she told WorldCargo News. “The extreme peaks and troughs in both freight rates and volumes that followed the pandemic, and the Red Sea crisis, have given way to an unpredictable and volatile environment. Fortunately, the broader picture is much more nuanced.”

Liverpool has embraced the uncertainty that remains a feature of global trade and, overall, volumes continue to grow. Emma Snell observes that global container throughput increased by around 4% last year, while the UK market grew by approximately 2.5-3%. She says that does not represent a market in decline. It is one adjusting to new trade patterns. “Growth has not disappeared but shifted. Where Asia once dominated volumes, we are now seeing momentum building across Latin America, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, and the recovery of the European and Asia westbound services. The opportunity is significant for ports that can adapt to these changes, and Liverpool is well placed to do exactly that.”

Trade patterns

Liverpool is pivoting in several directions at once, with developments in the container, Ro-Ro, bulk and breakbulk trades. In the Ro-Ro sector, Luxembourg-headquartered CLdN has expanded its Ro-Ro service to Dublin with a multimillion-pound investment in Liverpool’s Brocklebank terminal – a project that is now in its second year.

The opening of a new deep-water bulk berth at the Alexandra Complex, the first such development in 40 years, has expanded the port’s ability to handle larger vessels and higher volumes across bulk cargo. At the same time, the owners, Peel Ports Group, have announced a GB£100 million investment into expanding the steel and metals multimodal hub at Liverpool, following record volumes in that sector. “These investments matter because they strengthen the overall ecosystem around the port and support the wider supply chains that cargo owners rely upon,” Snell noted.

Planning for growth

The port is highly optimistic about future growth. “We are seeing increased interest from carriers in both short-sea and deep-sea services, where Liverpool’s location, connectivity, capability and inland reach offer clear advantages,” says Emma Snell. “A steady improvement is expected through the first half of the year.

“These are becoming more strategically important as cargo owners seek alternatives to traditional routes, to split risk, build a more robust and efficient supply chain, bringing their cargo closer to the door by sea and keeping their stock flowing. In some cases, cargo owners have saved in excess of one million pounds just by switching a percentage of their cargo to route through the Port of Liverpool. Carriers are actively reviewing their networks, and there are ongoing discussions about service changes and future opportunities. More evolution is likely, and flexibility in port choice will become increasingly valuable.”

That has certainly been the case for Maritime Transport, the rail and road logistics operator, which invested just over a year ago in a new intermodal facility at the port. Maritime, now part of shipping line MSC’s Medlog group, opened a 2,000 TEU storage facility in September 2024. “We are delighted to open our newest container storage site at the Port of Liverpool, meeting the rising demand for storage options in the area,” said Tom Williams, Maritime’s Deputy Chief Executive, at that time. “This expansion increases our capacity and provides new, modern facilities for our drivers and operational teams. It’s an excellent addition to our network that will undoubtedly strengthen our service capabilities and accommodate the growing volume of cargo activity at the Port.”

Managing disruption

Liverpool sees a role for the port supporting trade and transhipment between the Indian Subcontinent and North America, where Snell says tariff dynamics between India and the United States are underpinning volume growth to the UK. “This market carries a high proportion of pharmaceuticals and other temperature-sensitive cargo, something that Liverpool is exceptionally strong at facilitating,” she explained. “For example, we provide almost 1,000 reefer plugs across our two container terminals – one of the highest in the UK. Businesses are weighing the implications of US tariffs, emerging risks in global trade routes and the longer-term impact of instability in key regions. Geopolitical uncertainty continues to influence how supply chains operate.”

Liverpool is also hoping to benefit from shippers planning to avoid disruptions as carriers adjust their networks while services resume through the Suez. “The Suez Canal will inevitably reopen,” Snell said. “We are already seeing ad hoc usage by some carriers. When it does reopen, experience suggests there will be disruption across the European port network, and if the transition is not carefully phased, the disruption will be far greater. Congestion, further schedule unreliability, displacement of equipment, volatile freight rates and network imbalances often follow major routing shifts. This environment reinforces the need for credible alternatives. Liverpool offers deep water access, consistent high performance, and strong inland connectivity to the rest of the UK.”

Liverpool2: a decade on

In 2016, Peel Ports opened Liverpool2, a modern container terminal that now sees regular calls from large vessels in the 14,000 TEU range. At the time the terminal was developed, Liverpool2  was marketed as a deep-water port that could challenge ports in the south for container services from Asia.  Liverpool’s advantage, Peel Ports said at the opening, was its proximity to multi-modal logistics sites and the inland consumer markets of the UK. That proximity, Peel Ports expected, could reduce logistics costs for large importers compared to using a southern port with a shorter sailing time, but higher logistics costs due to longer inland routes.

Snell said this objective has been achieved, and that Liverpool2 has “fundamentally reshaped perceptions of what a northern UK port can deliver. It has established Liverpool as a genuine deep-water gateway, not an alternative of convenience but a strategic option”.

“What we are seeing now is the next phase of that evolution,” she continued. “There has been a notable uplift in demand from customers who want Liverpool2 included in their long-term planning. Many cargo owners are actively requesting the transportation of cargo closer to the point of delivery, resulting in lower inland costs, reduced emissions, and more control over their supply chains. This offers a pipeline of opportunity, and we are working with carriers to align services with demand, focusing on diversification and sustainable, long-term growth.”

That work includes supporting the flow of goods and data as cargo moves inland. Through its PortPlus+ initiative, a connected combination of hardware, nearby storage and logistics IT, customers can also access warehousing, customs processing, and other supporting logistics directly at the port, giving them greater visibility and control over their goods.

Unfortunately, Peel Ports does not disclose TEU figures for container throughput, so it is impossible to gauge success using this metric. For Peel Ports, the wider point is that Liverpool2, as it approaches its tenth anniversary, is a proven alternative to the southern ports. “It is increasingly seen as a viable option alongside, and sometimes instead of, more congested southern UK ports. This comes at a critical time in the procurement cycle. Many beneficial cargo owners are entering tender season and building plans for the year ahead. The conversations we are having are no longer just about price per box – they are about resilience, risk splitting, and long-term network design,” Snell concluded.

DP World hits 5m TEU

While container numbers at Peel Ports’ Liverpool and Hutchison’s Felixstowe are not disclosed publicly, DP World has announced strong performances at London Gateway and Southampton in 2025.

London Gateway was the standout performer, setting a new annual handling record in 2025 as container volumes surged by more than 50%, passing the 3m TEU mark for the first time. The growth follows the opening of a fourth berth at the Thames-side port, and the introduction of additional Asia–Europe vessel calls under the Gemini Cooperation, the agreement between Hapag-Lloyd AG and Maersk. The arrangement saw some port calls transferred from Felixstowe.

Putting the performance in context, London Gateway handled 1.9m TEU in 2024. DP World’s comment, that its 2025 performance reinforces London Gateway’s position as a fast-growing hub in the UK container market, is somewhat understated.

Furthermore, growth at London Gateway was not achieved at the expense of Southampton. DP World did not give numbers, but said growth at Southampton in 2025 pushed its throughput over the 2m TEU mark for the year.  “Combined five million TEU at London Gateway and Southampton puts DP World at the heart of British trade,” stated the company.

Investment at London Gateway is continuing, with construction underway on two additional all-electric berths as part of a £1 billion expansion that will ultimately create six deep-sea berths capable of handling the world’s largest container ships. A second rail terminal opened in 2025, and a £170 million BOXBAY automated container handling system is planned. Meanwhile, Southampton is set to receive new quay cranes later this year, as part of a £60 million upgrade programme.

Tyne turns the tide

The Port of Tyne in Newcastle is looking to position itself as a leading centre for green regeneration and clean energy logistics.

That ambition is embodied in the Tyne Clean Energy Park, a major redevelopment programme that will see around 230 acres of port land transformed through an investment of approximately £150 million. Central to the scheme is the construction of 400 metres of new deep-water quay, creating capacity tailored to offshore renewables, clean energy and advanced manufacturing supply chains. Independent modelling suggests the project could support around 12,000 jobs and generate more than £5.6 billion in economic impact, underlining its significance well beyond the port estate.

Danish renewable energy company Ørsted has leased up to 100,000 square metres at the Clean Energy Park to support marshalling operations for the nearby Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, reportedly the world’s single largest offshore wind farm, with an eventual installed capacity of around 2.9GW. The Tyne facility will store and handle secondary steel components ahead of offshore installation.

*This story first appeared in the February print issue of WorldCargo News.