Peel Ports and Suardiaz have inaugurated a UK-first Green Automotive Manufacturing Hub in Merseyside, which will considerably cut supply chain emissions in the North-West.
The US$12.5 million facility, the first of its kind in the UK, was officially launched on 14 November with a ribbon-cutting ceremony as it welcomed a Suardiaz vessel from Vigo Port in Spain, to which it will operate a twice-weekly shipping route.
The Hub will power sustainable vehicle production and support a greener end-to-end marine transportation service in the North West and will be located on a 38,500m² site at Queen Elizabeth II Dock at Eastham, within Peel Ports' Mersey cluster.
"This new Green Automotive Hub is set to be a game-changer in cutting supply chain emissions and road congestion in the UK. It’s a great example of the forward-thinking cooperation that is needed to reduce the impact of the maritime and logistics sectors on the environment. We have consistently said that reducing road miles will be central to combating climate change, but we know that can only be achieved by providing sustainable alternatives utilising ports close to final destinations," stated Claudio Veritiero, CEO at Peel Ports.
When compared to road travel, the shipping route serving the facility is expected to lower yearly CO2 emissions by 30% and energy usage by 37%. It is intended to take 14,700 lorry travels off the UK and continental Europe each year, saving about 17.5 million kilometres (c.11 million miles) in road trips.
"This new Suardiaz Terminal is the result of the excellent collaboration between Peel Ports and Suardiaz, as well as the trust vested by Stellantis in Suardiaz to establish and execute the supply chain for Ellesmere Port Plant. The Intermodal solution we have implemented for the Ellesmere Port factory, which combines road and maritime transport, will significantly reduce CO2 emissions by eliminating over 14,000 trucks from European and British roads," commented Juan Riva, president and CEO of Suardiaz.
In addition, Peel Ports and Suardaz invested a combined US$12.5 million in developing the Hub by recommissioning an existing berth at the dock and building the equipment required to enable the processing of RoRo ships and their cargo.
