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Far East service for Liverpool

[ April 8, 2014   //   ]

Peel Ports’ Liverpool has gained a new Far East break bulk service operated by Westfal-Larsen Shipping. The new breakbulk service will carry steel and plywood, opening up the option of shipping smaller parcels from Far East suppliers.

The M/V Osakana, one of Westfal-Larsen’s O class fleet of vessels, was the first vessel to arrive at the Port of Liverpool on 24 March, discharging 4,000 tonnes of plywood and steel coils.

Westfal-Larsen Shipping has been importing steel via a regular service to Europe and the UK for several years now, but this is the first time in ten years that it will combine shipments of steel and plywood via the Port of Liverpool. It is hoped that this service will resurrect the plywood trade through Liverpool.

Vice president of chartering and operations at Westfal-Larsen Shipping, Ann-Christin Eggum, said: “WLS and Peel Ports hope that this first vessel will be the start of a long and fruitful relationship between the two companies, both of whom are looking to develop the service and attract additional cargoes.” And port of Liverpool business development manager, Roy Merryweather, added: “Working with WLS to expand  break bulk services to include Liverpool will allow us to tap into new business markets, as well as providing greater diversity for our customers and their supply chains.”

The vast majority of the 550,000 tonnes a year of plywood used in the UK – all of which is imported – comes from the Far East. Most is currently discharted at Tilbury and then moved by road or rail to destination but the new regular service to Liverpool will eliminate costly haulage.

Peel hopes to exploit Liverpool’s strategic posision on the UK road and rail network plus its direct link to the Manchester Ship Canal.

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