Port of Liverpool bets big on future growth

Sitting proudly on the coast of the Irish Sea, the Port of Liverpool stands as a blueprint for how success, drive and ambition is crucial to developing world-class trade facilities and connecting maritime hubs globally.

Today, the Port of Liverpool, which is situated just five miles from the head office of Brookes Bell, is the fourth-busiest container port in the United Kingdom, handling about 900,000 teu of cargo annually and serving as a key connection for transatlantic trade, as well serving more than 100 non-EU countries around the world.

The port has come a long way since it was first constructed in the early 1700s. Originally a small dock that was situated on a tidal inlet in the narrows of the Mersey Estuary, the Port of Liverpool now boasts two major container terminals – Royal Seaforth Container Terminal and Liverpool2 - across a 7.5 mile berth, with state-of-the-art and futureproofed equipment and facilities that are crucial to the smooth running of the port. The Port of Liverpool is also home the UK’s largest free zone, Liverpool Freeport, which offers more than 4 million sq ft of warehousing and logistics accommodation space.

Its facilities have undergone a major overhaul in recent years. More than £400 million was spent on the opening of Liverpool2 in 2016, making it one of the UK’s largest private sector infrastructure projects. The terminal was built in response to the growing size of ‘mega’ container vessels and the changing nature of trade patterns. Crucially, the project reflected Liverpool’s desire to remain at the forefront of trade and supply chain operations, not just in the United Kingdom but globally.

The Port of Liverpool also has a number of other expansion projects underway. It is currently undergoing a major expansion of its car storage and transporter park to tackle growing demand for vehicle processing facilities at the port, while earlier this year a new £28 million warehousing facility was officially opened to handle and store the growing amount of cargo the port was taking on.

All of this resulted in the Port of Liverpool being named the UK’s top port for port-centric logistics in 2023, according to Knight Frank. The port ranked first for forecasted export growth and was placed in the top 10% for access to consumer markets, skilled labour, availability of land, port capacity and import growth potential.

Yet, the ambition of the people of Merseyside continues to flourish. The Port of Liverpool is at the centre of the wider region’s success and is set to play a major role in Liverpool’s future development. Liverpool City Region has set out an ambitious plan to grow exports to £11.8 billion by 2030, up from £8.5 billion in 2022. The growth is expected to come from a combination of the city’s airport, freeport, rail and road connections, and the Port of Liverpool, which offers direct access to Europe, Asia and the United States.

All of this means that Liverpool will continue to be one of the world’s major maritime hubs. It is for that reason that so many maritime organisations have a presence in the northwest of England, while for a select few, they are proud to call Liverpool and the wider Merseyside region their home.

Brookes Bell was founded in 1903 in Liverpool and has been a cornerstone of the Mersey maritime industry ever since. With vessels of all types carrying all manner of cargoes docking at the Port of Liverpool 365 days a year, there is a clear need to ensure that the very best maritime services with local and expert knowledge are in the area to offer their support.

Brookes Bell’s multi-disciplinary technical and scientific consultancy services have been vital for vessels berthed at the Port of Liverpool for more than 120 years and, just as the Port of Liverpool has expanded and improved its facilities, so too has Brookes Bell. Liverpool is now home to our world-class forensic analysis and investigative centre, The Lab, and we continue to invest in the very best talent to provide those services, many of whom were born and raised in Liverpool.

There is a reason why the Port of Liverpool is at the heart of the region’s maritime sector. It is at the very centre of a vibrant maritime community, connecting maritime businesses and individuals from across the region and beyond, all of whom are dedicated to making the port and the city it sits in one of the world’s best maritime hubs. Brookes Bell is proud to be a major part of that community and will continue to serve the vessels that dock in Liverpool with honour.