Rail container service to reduce emissions

A new rail container service to be launched by Peel Ports at the Port of Liverpool aims to improve supply chain efficiency with expansion options for importers and exporters.

Jerome Wildsmith, head of supply chain at B&M, said: “Routing through the Port of Liverpool has already saved us the equivalent of 4 million road miles, massively cutting our onward transport costs, reducing the carbon emitted and reducing the likelihood of delays on the UK network.

“We are excited about the possibilities that this new service will provide our business for achieving even more efficiency gains for our growing operation.”

East-west investment

The new service is expected to complement Liverpool’s wider logistics offering, such as multi-user warehousing.

Peel Ports is also backing calls from Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram for investment in the infrastructure serving the east-west corridor.

Gary Hodgson, strategic projects director, said: “This is the next step in our journey to provide shippers with a more integrated, end-to-end answer for their cargo needs.

“There are generally good connections on routes heading north and south, but cross-country is a real problem. It’s long overdue that the east-west infrastructure was brought into the 21st century so we can expand rail freight usage and reduce the impact of longer-distance road haulage.”

Strategic location

The service is expected to begin operating before the end of the year.

Liverpool is already used to supply biomass to the Drax power station in North Yorkshire via the trans-Pennine route. The port is also within 25 miles of the West Coast Main Line, providing access to markets in Scotland, the Midlands and the South East.

For intermodal traffic, the port has W10 gauge clearance capability, allowing 9ft 6in containers to be conveyed on standard deck height rail wagons.