All six are expected to become operational within a month, complementing 14 other Noell carriers purchased as part of a £25m redevelopment of the terminal including replacement of more than half the straddle carrier fleet.

Also at the Port of Liverpool, Europe's largest metal recycling operation is stepping up its strategy of taking scrap movements off Britain's congested roads by doubling the size and capacity of its railhead at the Alexandria Dock Terminal.

European Metal Recycling Limited (EMR), which has more than 50 waste metal depots across the UK, is also looking to expand its rail network to take in more than the 14 sites currently feeding export scrap metal to the Port by train for shipment to steel plants overseas.

EMR and other operators in the Port handled two million tonnes of recycled metal last year, exported to countries such as Korea, Taiwan and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Current expansion work will double the length of track to 1.5km over three sidings. The terminal will then be able to double the number of trains it can handle to 12 per week. Each 1,000 tonne train takes 100 truck movements off the roads.

EMR had to curtail even more ambitious expansion plans when the Rail Facilities Grant scheme was suspended last year by the Strategic Rail Authority.

Included in EMR's proposals now on hold is the acquisition of a new crane to enhance train discharge operations as well as essential land surfacing work.

MJ Information No: 18715