Peel Ports Group is positioning the Port of Liverpool as a global hub for steel handling, having posted a record-breaking year for bulk imports in 2024. However, the news comes amid uncertainty for the UK steel industry.
UK Peel Ports Group wants to make the Port of Liverpool into a global hub for steel handling. The operator has posted a record-breaking year for bulk imports at the site throughout 2024. Last year, 702,000 tonnes of bulk steel were processed at the port. Imports of ore and coke came from across the world, including South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Turkey, and elsewhere in Europe.
The record-breaking figure surpasses the port’s previous record by more than 50,000 tonnes. Peel Ports Group recently invested GB£2 million into the development of a new deep water bulk berth at the port’s Alexandra Complex, expanding its cargo handling operations. However, the news comes at the same time as doubts hang over domestic steel production. The last blast furnaces in the UK, at Scunthorpe on the east Coast of England, face imminent closure, with consequential loss of traffic for nearby ports.
Good news at Liverpool
Peel Ports have a long-standing commitment to steel handling in Liverpool. Back in 2012, they invested GB£3m in automated handling at Gladstone Dock. More recently, the port operators have invested in covered storage space, specifically for coil and precious metals handling. Coil accounted for 85% of steel imports in 2024.
“Liverpool is a deep water gateway to global markets,” said Phil Hall, Mersey Port Director, Peel Ports Group.“The figures speak for themselves, cementing Liverpool as the leading UK hub for a range of industries. That’s further supported by our investing in the port’s infrastructure and developing this market leading proposition further.”
Not so good news at Scunthorpe
The UK has become more reliant on imported steel since the industry began a long decline in the 1980s. Virgin steel production in the UK is almost extinct. Only a Chinese-owned blast furnace at Scunthorpe remains active, for now. Its future is in imminent jeopardy, as reported by our sister service, RailFreight.com. Jingye, which trades as British Steel, says losses of £700,000 per day are unsustainable.
There are immediate implications for Immingham Bulk Terminal (IBT), British Steel’s port facility on the Humber River, 20 miles from the plant. IBT handles iron ore, coke and coal for Scunthorpe. The terminal can handle up to nine million tonnes of raw materials a year to support steel production.