EUROPE

Ladyman backs Mersey future

19 years ago

UK transport minister Stephen Ladyman has thrown his weight behind a lobbying campaign to raise the profile of Merseysides growing maritime sector.

In a House of Commons Adjournment Debate on the Maritime Sector in Liverpool, Dr Ladyman confirmed that he was ‘only too keen to see the Mersey prosper’.

The debate was presented by local Member of Parliament Louise Ellman, with an aim of securing the support of Ministers in several key areas of development, including:

● the national importance of the Port of Liverpool to the UK as a gateway to international trade;

● the proposal by Peel Ports,owners of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, for the construction at Seaforth of a new container berth capable of handling ‘post panamax’ size vessels;

● and the Ports Growth Strategy: A 20 year vision for the river including the development of a ‘SuperPort’ on Merseyside that will seek to harness the combined freight handling capability of the Port of Liverpool, the Manchester Ship Canal and Liverpool John Lennon Airport as well as the massive freight community that exists within the region and the North West.