Project's new river terminal will be able to handle the world's largest vessels on completion in 2015
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has this week granted a £150 million loan to the Atlantic Gateway project Liverpool 2 at Port Seaforth.
Peel Port’s Liverpool 2 project includes the build of a new deep watercontainer terminal in the River Mersey, which will be capable of handling the larger post-Panamax vessels that are currently unable to call Liverpool’s docks.
“News of approval from the EIB of a £150 million loan for Liverpool 2 at Port Seaforth is great news for the North West of England generally and Liverpool in particular,” Geoff Muirhead, Chairman of the Atlantic Gateway, told the Liverpool Echo.
“This follows hard on the heels of the Government’s full approval for the construction of the Northern Hub Rail Improvement Project.
“These two schemes are part of the Atlantic Gateway Programme and mark a very successful start to the campaign designed to lever massive economic benefit and jobs across the whole of the North West of England.”
The project, which will provide the region with over 5,000 jobs when it opens for business in 2015, will also remove more than 150 miles of road and rail travel to give Seaforth a significant advantage over other UK ports.
The new terminal, capable of accommodating two 13,500 TEU vessels simultaneously, will provide shippers with a new direct route to the heart of the UK, and improved trans-shipment links to Ireland and Scotland through Liverpool’s existing services
“I am delighted that a proposal which will support the financing of the Liverpool 2 project was approved by the European Investment Bank,” said managing director of the Port of Liverpool, Gary Hodgson.
Liverpool 2 is an integral part of the Mersey Ports Master Plan, a 20-year vision for the growth and future development of both the Port of Liverpool and the Manchester Ship Canal, launched by Peel Ports in the summer of last year.
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