Wirral's docks offer comprehensive deep sea shipping, warehousing and distribution facilities, encompassed by Britain's largest and most successful free zone. The M53 motorway is just one mile from the waterfront, providing immediate access to the national motorway network.
The River Mersey is the focal point for the largest maritime community outside London, employing more than 26,000 people. It also has one of Britain's strongest ship repair industries, and the acquisition by Peel Holdings of Cammell Laird shipyards in Wirral, will further stimulate the momentum of maritime renaissance.
Investment in port facilities in Wirral has included the £30 million Twelve Quays River Terminal for Irish Sea roll-on, roll-off super ferries, operated by Stena Line, for daily sailings to Belfast.
Twelve Quays has proved a major influence in consolidating the Port of Liverpool's position as the premier gateway for freight crossing the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland. It handles over 40% of all freight between the two countries and carries over half a million passengers a year.
The Port of Liverpool has planning consent for a second container terminal to be built in the River Mersey at a cost of £100 million and able to simultaneously accommodate two of the new generation post-Panamax container ships. The new facility capable of handling 500,000 teus a year, will almost double Liverpool's container capacity to nearly 1,500,000 teus and will stimulate commercial activity and growth on both the Wirral and Liverpool banks of the river.
The Port of Liverpool is also home to the UK's largest free zone, Liverpool Freeport, accommodated in more than 3 million square feet of warehousing with another 400,000 sq ft planned, bringing the port's total logistics accommodation to more than 4 million sq ft.