£10m refurb underway at port

WORKERS are preparing to tackle the second phase of a £10m investment in the lock gate facilities at the Port of Liverpool.

The £5m refurbishment of a caisson, or sliding door, at Langton Lock will begin this month. It will be reinstalled in the winter. It follows a similar £5m upgrade carried out on two lock gates at Gladstone Lock last year.

There are three sets of gates at Gladstone Lock and three sliding doors at Langton Lock which the port owner Peel Holdings plans to upgrade over the next five years. Due to tidal conditions all ships have to use the gates when entering and leaving the dock.

Derek Hendry, projects director at the port, said: “These are key assets essential to the smooth running of the port and we are delighted to announce this significant investment.

“Put simply these facilities allow ships to access the harbour therefore help generate considerable business both for the port and the city of Liverpool.

“We envisage that once all gates and caissons have been upgraded it should ensure they are functional for at least the next 15 years.”