Manchester Ship Canal: Five terminals, limitless solutions
There's nothing we can't handle.
The Manchester Ship Canal is one of the UK's most vibrant trading hubs. Running 36 miles from the Mersey Estuary into the heart of Manchester, it links five specialist terminals with the Port of Liverpool, taking your cargo deep into the North West by water, with lower costs, carbon and congestion.
Discover the Manchester Ship Canal
Opened in 1894 and once the third busiest port in the UK, the Manchester Ship Canal is still thriving. Every year it handles and stores 7.5 million tonnes of cargo across five terminals, from wind turbine blades, animal feed and biomass to aggregates, sand, salt and chemicals.
The canal forms part of a carbon-efficient "Green Highway", helping you cut three things at once: costs, carbon emissions and road congestion. Connected to the Port of Liverpool and the Liverpool2 deep-water terminal, it gives you an all-water route into the industrial heartland of Britain, close to some of the country's largest manufacturing and consumer bases.
Beyond shipping, we can support you with production facilities and construction hubs, a wide range of berthing options and added-value services, including bagging, rip and tip to tanker, palletising and loading into or out of containers.
As the statutory harbour authority for the canal, we also provide the marine services that keep every vessel moving safely along its length.
- Five specialist terminals along a 36-mile seaway
- An all-water route from Liverpool2 into Greater Manchester
- Lower costs, carbon and road congestion than moving goods by road
- Multi-user warehousing, with over 3 million sq. ft more with planning consent
- Added-value services, from bagging to container loading
- Dedicated port police on hand 24/7
Five terminals along the Manchester Ship Canal
Each of our terminals specialises in a different area, so you can choose the right location for your cargo.
QEII Dock, Eastham
At the entrance to the canal near Eastham, QEII Dock is used by some of the UK's largest organisations to handle chemicals and bulk liquids. It is the UK's largest enclosed oil dock, and it is non-tidal.
Ellesmere Port
A fully multimodal facility for bulks and project cargo, with excellent road, rail and sea connections. Operated by Peel Ports Logistics, Ellesmere Port connects with the Royal Seaforth Container Terminal and Liverpool2 for a seamless onward journey.
Runcorn Docks
An inland terminal operated by Peel Ports Logistics, suited to a wide range of cargo, including bulk powders and project cargo. Excellent connections to the M62, M56 and M57 allow rapid distribution throughout the UK.
Animal feed and agricultural products
Aggregates, sand and building materials
Chemicals and bulk liquids at QEII Dock
Bulk powders and salt
Biomass and energy cargoes
Timber handling and storage
Steel and metals handling
Wind turbine blades and out-of-gauge loads
Onward container movements
Multi-user and port-centric warehousing
Scalable space for 1 or 40,000 pallets, our flexible warehousing features industrial, FMCG, and temperature-controlled facilities.
From wind turbine blades to abnormal loads, our terminals handle cargo too large or heavy for conventional transport.
Dry bulks, bulk powders and liquids across our terminals, including the UK's largest enclosed oil dock at QEII Dock.
Bagging, rip and tip to tanker, palletising, and loading into or out of containers, all at the quayside.
Peel Ports Logistics operates our terminals at Ellesmere Port and Runcorn, providing a seamless onward journey for your cargo.
The land footprint, knowledge and infrastructure to design and build port-centric facilities, with access to the North West and Midlands manufacturing centres.
Tug services, pilotage, pilot transfer, hydrographic surveys, maintenance dredging, navigation aids and mooring along the length of the canal.
Dedicated port police are on hand 24/7, so you can feel secure in your investment.
Connected to your markets
The North West is the industrial heartland of Britain, and the Manchester Ship Canal is the perfect partner for businesses operating across the region. Accessible via the River Mersey, the canal brings cargo closer to its destination than a more southerly port, lowering transport costs and creating a greener supply chain.
Where to find us
Address: Peel Ports Liverpool, Maritime Centre, Port of Liverpool, Seaforth, Liverpool, L21 1LA, United Kingdom
The canal runs from QEII Dock on the Mersey Estuary to Port Salford in Greater Manchester.
Road, rail and water connections
Our terminals sit close to the M56, M57, M60 and M62, with rail at Ellesmere Port, giving you fast access to the rest of the UK. By water, the canal connects directly with the Port of Liverpool and Liverpool2, so deep-sea cargo can continue inland without going by road.
From Manchester to Texas
When a global logistics provider needed to move project cargo from Irlam in Greater Manchester to Ellesmere Port for export to Texas, Peel Ports Logistics used the canal to deliver it. Read the case study
Manchester Ship Canal: your questions answered
Is the Manchester Ship Canal still used?
Yes. The canal handles 7.5 million tonnes of cargo a year across five terminals, from chemicals and bulk liquids to animal feed, biomass, aggregates and wind turbine blades.
How long is the Manchester Ship Canal?
The canal is 36 miles long, running from the Mersey Estuary at Eastham into the heart of Manchester. It opened in 1894.
Who runs the Manchester Ship Canal?
The Manchester Ship Canal is owned and operated by Peel Ports Group, through The Manchester Ship Canal Company.
What cargo can the canal handle?
We handle agricultural products, construction materials, liquid and dry bulks, biomass, timber, metals and project cargo, with multi-user warehousing along the canal. If your cargo isn't listed, ask our team.
Where do I find marine and vessel information?
Notices to mariners, navigation and pilotage information and vessel arrivals and departures are in our Manchester Ship Canal marine information.
We're ready when you are.
Tell us what you're moving, and our Manchester Ship Canal commercial team will come back to you directly. Your cargo and service are already filled in, so it only takes a minute.
