Twelve Quays Terminal to open in the Spring

Norse Merchant’s move from its current berths in the Port of Liverpool to its new £25 million Twelve Quays River Terminal is on schedule for Spring 2002.
The company recently received delivery of the 1,200 tonne pontoon and link span bridge that will enable the company to berth two of its vessels simultaneously at its new freight and passenger terminal.

The 70 metre long, 42 metre wide pontoon and the 80 metre long link span bridge were towed by tug from Harland and Wolff's Belfast shipyard and are now being installed alongside the terminal which is located on the Birkenhead side of the River Mersey.

The new Twelve Quays River Terminal will have excellent access to the UK road network via the nearby M53 motorway with entrances to the Birkenhead Tunnel and Wallasey tunnel also nearby.
Sailings on the Liverpool / Belfast crossing will increase from 10 to 14 round trips per week. Once the Belfast service is up and running, Norse Merchant will switch its Dublin service to the Twelve Quays Terminal. The operators hope to have this service in place by June 2002.

Journey times on both crossings will be reduced considerably according to Norse Merchant. The time saving will mean that night sailings can be 30 to 45 minutes later.

Norse Merchant’s Freight Sales Directors stated: "This will be of particular value to drivers coming from Continental Europe on the company's land bridge service, for drivers coming from the south of England and even for those who have late pick-ups in the Midlands. The time savings for daytime sailings on both the Belfast and Dublin routes will also be appreciated by commercial drivers."