Procurement begins at Liverpool

The new terminal called Liverpool 2 is set to bring even larger container ships to the Mersey – it is due to open for business in 2015.

Peel Ports say that it will facilitate “improved trans-shipment links to Ireland Scotland” – allowing shipping lines to better benefit from lowered cost, reduced transit time, a reduced carbon footprint and a higher frequency service.

Liverpool 2 will connect directly to a number of port centric logistics hubs along the Manchester Ship Canal via barge – a “green logistics hub.”

The first phase of procurement asks for a contractor to acting the principal role for development of the terminal and a contractor to undertake dredging, infilling and quay wall construction work.

Douglas Coleman, programme director for the Liverpool 2 project, said: “We anticipate massive interest from companies throughout the ports construction industry. This is a technically complex project, but eminently achievable.”

The sheer scale of the project is demonstrated by the amount of material needed – the quay wall will require 30,000m3 of concrete, 15,000m of steel piles and 6100m of new crane rails. The dredging will need to remove 1000km3 of material from the Mersey with 3000km3 of infill required to create the new container area.