The port of Heysham is to receive a makeover worth £10million in readiness for a new fleet of ships which will increase freight capacity across the Irish Sea.
Heysham’s owners, Peel Ports Group, says the investment will increase capacity and bring efficiencies to the site to ‘future-proof operations and resilience’ as well as support customers in increasing volumes that can pass through the port.
The project will include the port’s trailer park being reconfigured, as well as a new multi lane smart gate operating system, and a new state-of-the-art terminal operating system for the facility.
The extra space created by reconfiguring the site’s trailer park will accommodate future growth, including Stena Line’s deployment of two new-build state-of-the-art ‘NewMax’ ferries at the port, which will boost freight capacity by 40% compared to previous vessels.
The introduction of a new gate operating system will lead to a better experience for hauliers by improving reliability, reducing congestion, as well as creating additional space at the facility.
The new terminal operating system will make it easier for arriving hauliers to identify trailers at the site, improving safety at the port in the process. The works are due to begin in the coming weeks.
“This investment is hugely positive news for Heysham Port and the local community,” Phil Hall, Mersey port director at Peel Ports Group, said. “We believe this work will future-proof our operations here for decades to come, as well as create growth opportunities for the facility in the process.”
He added: “We’ve already received great feedback from our customers about these plans, and it’s clear this infrastructure investment will really benefit our operations here in the years ahead.”
