Global slowdown may delay Seaforth CT expansion plans

THE global credit crunch may put the brakes on plans to double the capacity of the Port of Liverpool's Seaforth Container Terminal.

Terminal operator Peel Port had earlier proposed to build a GBP100 million (US$152.34 million) postpanamax container terminal at Seaforth but now that the international shipping trade has been hard hit by the global downturn, plans will likely be delayed, particularly as container traffic is slowing down after 30 years of steady growth and orders for raw materials have plummeted 94 per cent.

A report by the local Crosby Herald said the operator will take account of economic and financial conditions when it makes a final decision about the in-river engineering project in May.

Frank Robotham, Peel Ports Marketing Manager, said: We are still doing detailed work on the engineering and costings, which won't be finished until May. It is only then that we will look at the total costs and take a view on time scales.

This is a project for the future growth of the port, so it would not necessarily be a short-term decision based on current economic conditions.

The proposed expansion of Seaforth would raise the existing box handling capacity of the Port of Liverpool from 700,000 units annually to 1.5 million units.

It is difficult to say just what the impact will be at the moment. Our financial year doesn't end until next March. The position will be clearer then, said Mr Robotham.

Source: Schednet