Stellantis, a global mobility player with 14 brands including Vauxhall, Peugeot, Fiat, Citroën and Jeep, is launching a new maritime logistics service, in partnership with Suardíaz and Peel Ports. This is to supply parts to our Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant and reduce carbon emissions in line with our Dare Forward 2030 Strategic Plan.
The Ellesmere Port plant is currently undergoing a £100 million transformation to manufacture a compact electric van (Vauxhall/Opel Combo Electric, Peugeot e-Partner and Citroën e-Berlingo) from Spring 2023.
A number of the sheet metal parts and components required for production will be supplied by partner companies that are based near the Vigo plant in Spain. This is the other Stellantis plant that manufactures these electric light commercial electric vehicles (EVs).
To improve the supply chain flows to Ellesmere Port, a new end-to-end logistical service is being put in place, operated by Suardíaz. This will include a new twice-weekly shipping service from Vigo Port to Queen Elizabeth II Eastham docks, Merseyside.
Starting from June 2023, after the initial production ramp-up, the new 891 nautical miles maritime route will take an estimated 14,700 lorry journeys off the roads of the UK and continental Europe annually saving around 11 million miles (17.5 million kilometres) of road travel.
Each ship will be able to take up to 95 lorries whose cargo will comprise around 47 different part lines of sheet metal parts and components that will be used in the assembly of the all-electric compact vans.
The packaging used to transport the parts is then taken back to Vigo Port on the return leg to be reused for subsequent trips. The journey time from Vigo Port to Queen Elizabeth II Eastham docks is around 50 hours – a comparable time to the current road journey.
Compared to road transport, the direct maritime route has 30 per cent lower CO2 emissions over the course of a full year as well as 37 per cent less energy consumption.
Suardíaz will manage the end-to-end logistical service from one plant to another. Peel Ports will provide a 9.4-acre site at the Queen Elizabeth II Eastham dock in order to enable this new maritime route.
Peel Ports and Suardíaz have invested a combined £10 million in recommissioning a berth at the Queen Elizabeth II Eastham dock and installing the infrastructure needed to support the processing of the Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) ships and their cargo.
The dock is conveniently located two miles from the Stellantis Ellesmere Port plant with direct access to the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal.
Paul Willcox, Stellantis Senior Vice-President UK Country Manager, said: “With Ellesmere Port set to soon reopen manufacturing all-electric light commercial vehicles, we are looking at all aspects of our value chain in order to improve sustainability and efficiency, in line with our Dare Forward 2030 Strategic Plan.
“I’d like to thank our partners at Suardíaz and Peel Ports for their collaboration on this new maritime logistical supply route that will enable us to ensure increased efficiency of service to the plant whilst removing congestion and emissions from Europe’s roads.”
Juan Riva, Suardíaz president, said: “We assume responsibility for the logistics connection between the Stellantis facilities in Vigo and Ellesmere Port, and we use maritime transport with an efficient and environmentally friendly solution.
“By avoiding trucks on the road and with the forthcoming addition of biofuels to our ships, we are contributing to sustainability in the same spirit under which Stellantis electric vehicles are manufactured.”
David Huck, Peel Ports Group CEO, said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting project, enabling Stellantis’ vision to develop a more sustainable and efficient supply chain for this important North West manufacturing base.
“Our co-investment of £10m into QEII Eastham Dock with Suardíaz will create a new Green Automotive Hub for Ellesmere Port which will increase efficiency while reducing road congestion and carbon emissions.
“We are fully committed to continuing to invest in sustainable projects of this nature to support our supply chain customers and partners.”
