Leeside Shipping, agents for BG Freight Line in Cork, ran its first ever direct container service to Liverpool earlier on Monday.
Allowing Irish customers to make connections with the deep-sea services at the Port of Liverpool, the service also offers them the chance to increase custom to the north of England, Midlands and Scotland by providing a quay-to-quay route for operators.
It also gives customers in the Republic of Ireland greater opportunities to make connections with Canada, the east coast of the US and the Mediterranean, which had previously only been possible from Dublin.
The weekly service will run from Liverpool to Cork on Saturdays and Wednesdays and operate from Cork to Liverpool on Mondays.
Port of Cork harbour master Captain Paul O’Regan said the new service opens up further frequent freight movements from Cork with the added benefit of deep sea connections via Liverpool to the US and the Mediterranean.
“As an island economy, Ireland needs shipping services to access world markets. The reliability, efficiency and competitiveness of these services influence national competitiveness, international trade and job creation,” he said.
Koert Luitwieler, Shipping Director at BG Freight Line, added: “This new service will create even more momentum in Liverpool and was the last missing link in the connectivity between Ireland and Liverpool.
“Not only have a large number of cargo owners shown their interest in this route but also a number of deep-sea lines who see this as an opportunity to reposition empties to Cork.”
