Peel Ports Group - Experts & Thought Leaders

Peel Ports Group has officially unveiled its new £30m RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) berth at London Medway as it welcomed a key freight service to the facility. The UK’s second largest operator hosted guests at the port in Sheerness for a ceremony to mark the completion of the new in-river vessel berth and floating pontoon, which will boost capacity for RoRo cargo handling. As part of the official opening, the port welcomed one of Finnlines’ new Finneco-class hybrid RoRo vessels – a regular feature of the weekly service connecting London Medway with Finland, Poland, Belgium and Spain. New freight route network This new freight route between Kent , Northern Europe and Continental Europe offers customers shorter transit times This new freight route between Kent , Northern Europe and Continental Europe offers customers shorter transit times and more efficient loading and unloading operations, supporting faster and more reliable supply chains. Richard Goffin, Port Director, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome guests and customers to our port yesterday to mark the completion of our £30m new RoRo berth.” “This major new addition to our infrastructure will bring huge benefits to the port and the wider supply chain, as well as future-proof our operations here for many years to come. The new berth and its facilities will further improve operational efficiency and enhance flexibility for our customers.” “It’s also been great to welcome Finnlines’ new freight service to London Medway yesterday, and it’s a strong example of the kind of high-quality, long-term partnerships this investment was designed to support.” Finnlines freight service Finnlines launched its freight service in September, with further connections available to Belgium, Spain, and Ireland, which will be operated with three hybrid RoRo vessels. With each vessel holding cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres, equivalent to around 400 trailers, the service improves the route network, providing customers with shorter transit times and increased cargo capacity, as well as enabling faster and more efficient loading and unloading operations. The new berth and pontoon will cater for RoRo vessels arriving at the port, carrying commodities such as automotives, paper reels and timber, construction machinery and building materials, project cargo, agribulks, and steel. Benefits to automotive industry The port plays a crucial role in driving supply chains across the country, particularly for the automotive industry The development will also support the continued growth of the port operator’s customers such as Volkswagen and CEVA, who use London Medway as the primary location for their southern UK operations. The port plays a crucial role in driving supply chains across the country, particularly for the automotive industry, with 300,000 vehicles being processed at the site each year. Impact on construction and paper industries The construction and paper industries will also benefit from the new infrastructure, with adjacent berths being freed up to increase volume capacity for various cargos. The new berth is one of several investments made at the port with more expected in coming years, such as a new rail connection to improve how freight moves in and out of the site, making the whole operation even more efficient and integrated.

Peel Ports Clydeport has invested £3 million in infrastructure to support the growing demand for handling huge wind turbine components for the renewable energy sector at a key facility. The UK’s second-largest port operator has developed a new egress road at its King George V(KGV) Dock in Glasgow, which is designed to improve the movement of such project cargo through the port. Route for oversized cargo More than 100 turbines and 800 wind turbine components will also be processed at the site The new road will provide a more efficient route for oversized cargo and reduce operational hold-ups, as the manoeuvring space for large pieces of cargo was previously limited, leaving operations exposed to delays. The investment follows a record year in 2024 for the facility in handling wind turbines, with over a thousand components processed at the site that year. More than 100 turbines and 800 wind turbine components will also be processed at the site over the next 12 months. Option for larger wind component shipments Jim McSporran, Port Director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: "This significant investment will be hugely popular with the renewable energy sector, and help make our port an even more attractive option for larger wind component shipments." He adds, "The fact larger project cargo will now more easily be able to move from the port to nearby main roads will support our aims to keep handling more of this cargo at the port in the months and years ahead." Improving the safety and efficiency Jim McSporran continues: "This project will also reduce delays and costs for moving such goods, as well as further improving the safety and efficiency of our port’s operations, so it’s a really positive move." The work was completed in recent weeks and involved clearing a previous road and the creation and surfacing of the new road. Large-scale wind turbine components King George V Dock’s deep-sea facility is uniquely equipped to accommodate the handling of large-scale King George V Dock’s deep-sea facility is uniquely equipped to accommodate the handling of large-scale wind turbine components, allowing for the efficient movement of vital equipment to and from wind farm sites. The facility has processed components for over 1,200 wind turbines, representing more than 35 percent of total capacity installed in Scotland, since 2005 – and more than any other port across the country. Further growth in wind components The facility, located on the banks of the River Clyde, has a strong track record in transporting components used for onshore wind projects. With Clydeport anticipating further growth in wind components in the next 12 months, the investment reflects continued momentum across Scotland’s renewables sector and will help drive the country towards meeting its sustainable energy targets.

CLdN unveiled one of its newest vessels during a naming ceremony at the Liverpool Cruise Port yesterday, marking its longstanding partnership with Peel Ports Group to regenerate dock infrastructure. The MV Seraphine is part of CLdN’s advanced fleet of larger vessels designed to carry more cargo, while significantly reducing carbon emissions. Partnership with Peel Ports Group CLdN highlighted its ongoing partnership with Peel Ports Group to renovate Brocklebank Dock As part of the celebration, CLdN highlighted its ongoing partnership with Peel Ports Group to renovate Brocklebank Dock, strengthening the Port of Liverpool’s position as a key logistics hub, while creating new, skilled jobs in the local area. The event brought together CLdN and Peel Ports Group employees, customers, business partners, representatives from the Department for Transport and local stakeholders to celebrate the naming of the landmark vessel. CLdN’s 30-strong RoRo fleet Joining CLdN’s 30-strong RoRo fleet, which connects mainland Europe with the UK and Ireland, the MV Seraphine is a dual fuel vessel capable on running on conventional marine diesel or liquefied natural gas, including bio methane.  Florent Maes, CEO at CLdN, said: "We are proud to name the MV Seraphine in Liverpool. The Irish Sea trades are increasingly important connections for CLdN. Our partnership with Peel Ports and our recently completed investment in Brocklebank Dock show a shared commitment to improving our infrastructure and supporting the growth of our operations in Liverpool." New cargo check-in facilities The service has recently been expanded by a further 25% with larger vessels being deployed The redevelopment delivers 90,000 sqm of new surfacing for a 900 trailer bays, new cargo check-in facilities and cargo camera bay, new drainage and lighting systems, an office block, upgrades to the landing pontoon and many other improvements. The enhancements to the quayside are designed to accommodate larger, more environmentally friendly ships, with CLdN currently operating 24 sailings a week between Liverpool and Dublin. The service has recently been expanded by a further 25% with larger vessels being deployed. MV Seraphine signals David Huck, Chief Operating Officer at Peel Ports Group, who spoke during the ceremony, said: "We are proud to support CLdN in its continued investment in Liverpool. The MV Seraphine signals the importance of innovation, collaboration, and sustainability in modern logistics." He adds, "It comes at an exciting time too, as the work at Brocklebank Dock will increase operational capacity, improve efficiency, and future-proof the dock to meet the evolving needs of the industry, and also boost the local community with new employment opportunities." Introduction of the first pure RoRo service David Huck continues: "We’re proud to partner with CLdN to leave a lasting positive impact and strengthen the Liverpool region’s role in the supply chain." CLdN’s partnership with Peel Ports Group has focused on expanding freight services to develop greater connectivity between the UK and Europe, with the introduction of the first pure RoRo service in a triangle trade between Santander, Liverpool and Dublin being launched in June 2020.