Logistics rarely makes the news, so when it does, it is worthy of celebration. We would like to start by congratulating the Peel Ports Group for the recent news that the Port of Liverpool has been rated best in the UK for port-centric logistics [1]. This is excellent news, not only for the Peel group and for all of those who have worked so hard to make the port the thriving centre of excellence that it now is, but for every business involved in logistics within the UK.
Knight Frank UK Ports Study
The study was conducted by property consultancy firm Knight Frank, in which they considered a number of benefits delivered by ports located around the country. They looked at the forecast export growth of each port, in other words, its capacity for shipping abroad, together with access to consumer markets, the number of jobs that it generates for the local community, the amount of land that is available for future expansion, the potential for import growth and the size of the existing logistics market.
Frank Knight was particularly interested in determining the extent to which each of the ports surveyed could mitigate disruption to the UK’s supply chain and shorten the overall supply chain from manufacturer to recipient. This is particularly important on the back of Brexit as the UK will need to be more self-sufficient in order to remain competitive in a global market.
Across the 13 categories surveyed by Frank Knight, the Port of Liverpool received the highest overall score. This achievement follows close on the back of the news that Freeport status has been approved by the government for the site, offering significant benefits to the supply chain in the region and appealing to those companies that are looking to relocate to benefit from better links.
A Worthy Winner
Peel Ports have invested heavily in the site over recent years, most recently completing a £400M deep water container terminal that is capable of accommodating the largest freight cargo ships. This benefits many UK industries, particularly the agri bulk industry, which relies heavily on the port to meet biomass import requirements.
For businesses that regularly export their products overseas, utilising the Port of Liverpool may become a vital step in their logistics supply chain that could increase efficiency. For businesses that are looking to consolidate their outgoings, shipping abroad by freight cargo rather than by air could save a considerable sum of money and increase profitability.
When a supply chain is efficient and all links within it in work together to deliver the desired outcome, businesses at every point in the chain will benefit.
Resources:
[1] https://lbndaily.co.uk/port-of-liverpool-tops-uk-league-for-logistics/