River Mersey News

The prosperity of port cities, throughout history, has been closely tied to the ports’ ability to adapt to economic and technological change. As ships got bigger, ports had to keep up. This has often seen the port proper grow apart from the city whose name it bears because the old harbor could no longer accommodate the needs of modernized shipping.In those European cities located by rivers, port activities have often migrated towards the estuary. The ships headed for the port of Liverpool now berth in docks stretching north of the original Royal Albert dock…

A.P. Moller - Maersk's towage arm Svitzer has been fined £2 million ($2.4 million) in the U.K. after pleaded guilty to safely failures that led to a crewmember fatality.Svitzer Marine Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to operate a vessel safely and failing to provide a safe system of work, causing the “avoidable tragedy” of 62-year-old Ian Webb falling into the water, the U.K.'s Maritime and Coastguard Agency announced.Heard at Liverpool Crown Court on February 20, the tragic death sparked an investigation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) which identified a number of Svitzer’s safety failures.On the evening of Webb’s death, January 27, 2019, Svitzer Marine’s tug Millgarth was cast off from the Tranmere north jetty, in the river Mersey, in storm force conditions.

Marine Specialised Technology Group has launched the first in a series of new Police Patrol Craft being built for the UK Ministry of Defense Police (MDP) and the Gibraltar Ministry of Defense Police (GDP)Awarded in March 2021, The Police Patrol Craft (PPC) contract is a six-year program that will see delivery of 18 patrol craft to various Police units around the UK and Gibraltar. The Patrol Craft will be used to ensure protection of major Royal Naval Assets, including capital ships and submarines…

Three ‘megamax’ quayside ship-to-shore (STS) cranes sailed up the River Mersey, destined for the Liverpool2 container terminal, UK, completing the final stage of their voyage from China.The cranes are part of work on the second phase of the Liverpool2 project to provide additional capacity for growing volumes of cargo.Their arrival follows Peel Ports announcing a record-breaking month for its container operations at the Port of Liverpool. Quayside and landside throughput in October at exceeded all previous figures on record with year on year growth of 12%.Mark Whitworth, Chief Executive Officer of Peel Ports, said: “An increasing number of businesses are understanding that it makes more sense to ship products closer to their end destinations.

Britain's newest aircraft carrier has sailed out of Rosyth dockyard for the first time. The GBP3bln, 65000 ton HMS Prince of Wales will sit at anchor in the River Forth for around 2-7 days following departure from the dockyard to complete Initial Sea Safety Training.The vessel is the sister ship of HMS Queen Elizabeth."Cammell Laird is proud to have played a key role in the construction of this magnificent vessel – one of the most powerful surface warships ever constructed in the UK," said a press release from the British shipbuilding company.Following Cammell Laird’s successful completion of nine units for the first Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, the company’s block building expertise was called upon once again in 2013.

Liverpool Seafarers Center (LSC) in the UK has been named the world’s best seafarer center at an awards ceremony held during London International Shipping Week.LSC, which is based in Crosby and Eastham, won the International Seafarer Welfare Award due to “the exceptional care it offers visiting seafarers and their families”. The Seafarer Center of the Year is voted for by seafarers, 50,000 of whom use the center’s services in Liverpool and along the River Mersey every year. This includes providing emotional support…

The crew of the MSC Matilde containership “were disembarked from the vessel as a precaution” after it started listing heavily during the night at the Port of Liverpool, UK.The container vessel was listing outside Gladstone Dock in Liverpool at about 02:00 BST yesterday (May 24). It started tilting in the River Mersey, at the UK port’s Liverpool2 container terminal."As a precaution, to ensure the safety of the captain and crew, they were disembarked from the vessel. There were no reports of injuries, loss of cargo or damage to ship and operations are back to normal," said a press release from Mediterranean Shipping Company MSC. The cause of the incident is still being analysed by the relevant authorities…

Merseyside shipbuilder Cammell Laird has completed the building the $13 million ferry the Red Kestrel, for Isle of Wight ferry operator Red Funnel.The Red Kestrel, a new freight-only RoRo vessel, sailed away from Cammell Laird’s famous River Mersey shipyard following a nine-month build program. In total the project used 45 British supply chain businesses and generated 3000 man hours of work for Cammell Laird's apprentices. Cammell Laird further employed 200 direct workers, 200 sub-contractors and 10 apprentices on the contract.The Red Kestrel will operate between Southampton and Isle of Wight.

The hull of the U.K.’s new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough was launched from Cammell Laird shipyard Saturday, marking a major milestone toward the completion of one of the world’s most advanced scientific maritime vessels.Shipyard workers, engineers, scientists and maritime industry experts were among thousands who gathered to celebrate the launch along with special guest speakers, including renowned naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, who pressed…

Naval architect and marine engineering firm Houlder has played a key role in the development of the U.K.’s new polar research vessel, RRS Sir David Attenborough, since it was first conceived by the British Antarctic Survey.CEO Rupert Hare will join members of the project team as hull number 1390, comprising 10,000t of steel, is launched at Cammell Laird Shipyard on July 14.As experts in ship construction, and ice class design in particular, Houlder worked with the British Antarctic…

A fundraising campaign to build a international memorial dedicated to the estimated 100,000 people who lost their lives during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II, as well as those who served and survived, is being launched in Liverpool. The Battle of the Atlantic Memorial (BOAM), the charity leading the campaign, will stage a press call with war veterans on the Liverpool’s iconic waterfront to launch the fundraising effort to build the 28 meter monument in the shape of a merchant ship split in two.

The first six cantilever rail-mounted gantry (CRMG) cranes arrived in the River Mersey on Sunday, May 1 ready for installing and commissioning at the Liverpool2 deep-water container terminal. Produced by leading Chinese manufacturer ZPMC, which also supplied the five ship-to-shore cranes already on site, these six are the first of 12 required for phase 1 of the terminal. Ultimately the site will have eight STS and 22 CRMG cranes as part of a £100 million investment. The cranes will be capable of performing an average of 20 moves per hour…

Merseyside engineering firm IPS Marine Fabrications is helping ferry operator Stena Line expand its accommodation for man’s best friend after securing a deal to build a series of bespoke dog kennels. The operator Stena Line aims to improve pet facilities with bespoke kennels on board the Stena Superfast X, Stena Lagan and Stena Mersey. IPS Marine Fabrications director Paul Smith said the Birkenhead firm has built a long-standing relationship with Stena Line and the latest project…

A giant vessel bearing five ‘megamax’ quayside cranes sailed up the River Mersey yesterday destined for the new Liverpool2 container terminal, completing the final stage of its voyage from China. The cranes originally set off from Shanghai in August passing south-east Asia, India, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa via the Cape of Good Hope en route to Liverpool in a journey of over 30,000km (18,000m, 16,400nm). The super-structures were produced by Chinese company, Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co (ZPMC), the largest heavy duty equipment manufacturer in the world, as part of a contract with Peel Ports worth over £100m. A total of eight ship…

The world’s oldest enclosed commercial wet dock in Liverpool, North-west England is celebrating its 300th anniversary. Known locally as the ‘old dock’, it opened for business on 31 August 1715, providing a blueprint for the development of other trading ports. For the first time in history, the design of the dock allowed ships to load and unload whatever the state of the tide. It helped Liverpool to become one of the globe’s most important ports, with ships being able to turn around in under two days, rather than the two weeks needed previously. Thanks to the ‘old dock’, by the end of the 19th century 9% of the world’s trade went through Liverpool.

In anticipation of the arrival of five of the world’s largest cranes at the Port of Liverpool in the autumn, Peel Ports has introduced a state-of-the-art ‘virtual’ training simulator on site, designed to ensure all operators are ready to manoeuvre the giant structures from Day One of installation. Peel Ports has been working closely with ABB, a global leader in automation, to produce a customised, high-tech training simulator tailored to interactively test the abilities and skills of drivers by presenting them with realistic, operating scenarios. The Company has invested over £500,000 in developing the simulator and the associated software.

In anticipation of the arrival of five of the world’s largest cranes at the Port of Liverpool this autumn, Peel Ports has introduced an on-site virtual training simulator designed to ensure all operators are ready to maneuver the giant structures from the first day of installation. Peel Ports has been working with automation leader ABB to produce a customized, high-tech training simulator tailored to interactively test the abilities and skills of drivers by presenting them with realistic, operating scenarios.

Merseyside-based engine specialist James Troop & Co has secured a deal to supply and install two Volvo Penta D9 engines to extend the service life of one of Liverpool’s River Mersey pilot boats. The firm said it was approached by Peel Ports to replace the engines onboard the Fulmar – one of eight Mersey pilot boats. James Troop immediately sent technical manager Alan Railton and engine sales executive Anthony Ward to work with the customer to perform all the necessary onboard checks, measure up and prepare a recommendation.

McTays, the shipbuilding subsidiary of HS Ocean Group (HSOG), was awarded a contract to design and build four barges by waste management company Cory Environmental. The barges designed by McTays will be lighter and offer greater flexibility in order to meet Cory’s requirements. The 12 month contract will underpin 60 jobs within the company’s shipyard for 12 months and will benefit the local supply chain. McTays, which specializes in ship repairs, the design, build and delivery of ships and workboats as well as voyage repairs…

A shipbuilder is celebrating its 40th anniversary by staging an open day to coincide with the International Festival of Business Mersey Maritime and Shipping Innovation event. MCTAYS, the shipbuilding subsidiary of HS Ocean Holdings (HSOH) is hosting the open day on Friday 13th June at its yard in Birkenhead on the banks of the River Mersey. Peter Breslin, Managing Director of MCTAYS, said the open day will provide an opportunity for customers and suppliers to see the shipyard’s extensive facilities and learn more about the services it provides.

A shipbuilder has invested more than $1.7million (£1million) at its headquarters, including upgrading a slipway which is now capable of accommodating vessels up to 2,000 metric tons. MCTAYS, the shipbuilding subsidiary of HS Ocean Group of Companies, opened the upgraded slipway at its yard in Birkenhead on the banks of the River Mersey to coincide with its 40th anniversary. Peter Breslin, Managing Director of MCTAYS, said the slipway will enable the shipyard to accommodate vessels up to 90 meters in length: “Over the last 40 years, MCTAYS has built 120 specialist ships and marine structures.

BMT ARGOSS, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has assisted Liverpool Pilots in its planning for the visit of Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 to Liverpool in May 2015. Liverpool Pilots have used BMT’s ‘REMBRANDT’, real and fast time simulation and training tool to undertake detailed planning of how the three vessels will manoeuvre in close proximity in the River Mersey, at the narrowest point close to the Cunard Building downtown. Cunard's Three Queens will visit the Mersey as part of the celebrations to mark the 175th anniversary of the famous cruise line.

Construction at the new £300 million ($500 million) container terminal being built at the Port of Liverpool has reached an advanced stage. Work to reclaim 12 hectares of land has passed the first stage with further infilling due to take place over the summer. The majority of 296 steel piles have been driven into the seabed, allowing the infilling of 1.43 million tonnes of sand and silts taken from the Mersey estuary and deposited behind the new quay wall, up to a level of (+)6 metres above ordinary datum. Doug Coleman, Liverpool2’s Construction Director, said: “There are very few projects of this kind and scale going on in the UK, especially considering the impact of the exceptional tidal range.