Manchester Ship Canal

A 36 mile long seaway from the River Mersey to the heart of Greater Manchester and the North West of England, moving some 8 million tonnes of cargo a year for a range of blue chip companies.

Opened in 1894 to enable the merchants of Manchester to avoid using the Port of Liverpool, this unique inland waterway for "big ships" now unites the great neighbouring cities of Liverpool and Manchester. Under the Peel Ports Group, the international port at the mouth of the River Mersey and the canal which continues maritime navigation from Eastham Lock entrance, 8 miles up river, to Salford Quays 36 miles further east, are promoted individually and as one.

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The Manchester Ship Canal services bespoke and general berths and terminals for its full length and includes clusters of maritime activity at Ellesmere Port, Runcorn Docks, Irlam and on the upper reaches at Salford. Companies active in moving a range of cargoes such as containers, coal, chemicals, oils and grain, include household names such as Shell, Tesco, Ineos, Cerestar, Rank Hovis, Proctor and Gamble, Castrol and Kingsland Wines.

Peel Ports is looking to maximise the commercial and environmental advantages of promoting the Port of Liverpool and the Manchester Ship Canal as one. The launch late in 2007 of a regular Shuttle barge service moving containers between the international container terminal at Liverpool and the Irlam Container Terminal in Greater Manchester, is a pointer to the future potential of the 44 mile long seaway as a valuable commercial and environmentally friendly alternative to inland road haulage.

Multi-million pound investment by Peel Ports in Port Salford – the North West's most comprehensive inland intermodal terminal – and other port developments along the canal will stimulate further growth in waterborne trade.